Police kill 3 suspected bank robbers

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

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Across-electricity-Bandung
Police question hotel manager
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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