Police officers attacked by unidentified men

JAKARTA (JP): Two police officers from the National Police Headquarters were assaulted by a group of some 20 unidentified men in Ciracas, East Jakarta, early Wednesday.

The wounded officers, Pvt. second class Yusuf Antoni and Pvt. second class Nawi Ritonga, failed to identify the attackers but said they all had crew cuts.

According to city police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis, both Yusuf, 22, and Nawi, 23, sustained severe injuries to their backs, heads and chests.

Nawi is in intensive care at Soekanto Police Hospital for a stab wound to his back.

Lubis said the incident took place at about 1 a.m. when the two officers, still in their uniforms, left a food stall on Jl. Raya Ciracas.

"Around 20 people encircled them as they were about to get on their motorcycle," Lubis quoted the two officers as saying.

Police believe the suspects watched Nawi and Yusuf from a distance for some time before the attack.

After surrounding the two men, one of the assailants asked the officers whether they were part of the police's elite Mobile Brigade unit.

When the officers said they were not Mobile Brigade members, another of the attackers shouted that any police officers would do.

"The man then pulled out a knife and attacked the two men. Other members of the mob then followed, hitting the two officers with various objects close at hand, including stones and plastic chairs," Lubis said.

The few people in the area could do nothing but watch the brutal attack.

Food stall owner Seger later told police he did not dare attempt to stop the attack, which took place in front of his stall.

"He (Seger) told police the unidentified men were vicious and looked like fellow policemen," Lubis said.

After the two wounded officers fell to the ground, the attackers fled the scene.

Late on Wednesday afternoon, a police detective disclosed that one of the attackers had been arrested.

"We're still questioning him at Ciracas Police station," the officer, who asked for anonymity, said.

He refused to provide further details.

The officer, however, said the attack might be related to Monday's attack of a police sergeant.

Late on Monday, Second Sgt. Yudi Supriyanto from the On-Alert Unit at Jakarta Police Headquarters was beaten and stabbed in the neck by two unknown men at a small park near his house in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta.

Police have no leads in the case. (emf)