Police kill 3 suspected bank robbers
SEMARANG: Police shot and killed three suspected bank robbers here on Wednesday, as officers broke up what they called a "cold- blooded gang" that could have ties to terrorism.
Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi said another 10 men were arrested, all suspected members of the robbery gang.
"There are 39 of them (in the gang) and they have robbed banks in several towns in Central Java. They raised about Rp 2.8 billion from the robberies and killed three people, all shot in the head, and injured 12 others," he said.
All the evidence shows that these bank robberies were very well planned, Didi said.
"One of the robbery suspects is an ex-military personnel," the chief said.
Police are investigating whether the gang is linked with terrorist groups.
"The money they stole could have been used to finance terror attacks in parts of the country," Didi said.
Police are searching for other suspected gang members. -- JP
;JP;MTR; ANPAa..r.. Across-electricity-Bandung Police question hotel manager JP/5/
Farmers protest police intimidation
PADANG, West Sumatra: Dozens of farmers from Kapa village in West Sumatra filed a police report on Wednesday, complaining about alleged intimidation against them by security personnel.
The farmers say they were victims of intimidation when asked to move from their ancestral lands.
Zulkifli, one of the protesters, said the farmers asked West Sumatra Police Chief Brig. Gen. Adang Firman to investigate the involvement of his subordinates in the case.
"We are afraid because they (police officers) are essentially forcing us to leave our land. They even fired shots in the air to threaten us," he said.
The dispute centers on more than 3,800 hectares of ancestral land in Kapa. Some 2,000 hectares are managed by a oil palm plantation, while the remaining 1,800 hectares are controlled by a group of other farmers who are not opposed to the plan.
The protesting farmers demanded that the authorities allow them to continue to manage some 1,400 hectares. But the request was rejected and some of the group's members sold their plots of land to around 50 police officers.
The protesters would press ahead with their demands, according to Zulkifli. --JP
Two more bombing suspects to face trial
MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: The Pare-Pare Prosecutor's Office have handed over the case files of two bombing suspects to the Makassar District Court.
Saifullah Amir, alias Imam Nawawi bin Amir, 24, and Muhammad Amir, alias Muhammad Eksel bin Abdul Madjid, 28, are suspects in last December's bombings of a McDonald's outlet and car dealership in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
Prosecutors also presented on Tuesday material evidence against Saifullah and Muhammad, including a blue Vespa motorbike, two bank accounts and a notebook. The suspects are being held at the South Sulawesi Police Headquarters.
The spokesman for the Makassar District Court, Karel Tuppu, said the court had so far received the case files of 14 of the 15 suspects in the bombings. Several of the suspects' trials have already begun.
Two of the defendants have been charged with aiding the bombers, and could each face 10 years in jail if found guilty. --JP