Police seize live ammunition in Palu
Police seize live ammunition in Palu
PALU, Central Sulawesi (JP): Palu Police have found thousands
of rounds of ammunition in a van parked in a square that last
year hosted the national Koran reading contest here, an officer
said on Wednesday.
Palu Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Djasman Baso Opu said that
the discovery took place on Tuesday afternoon, and five people
found inside and near the van had been arrested.
Police confiscated 79 cartons containing 3,950 rounds of 3.8
caliber MU-6 Tj ammunition, 10 cartons with 500 rounds of U.S.-
made 9-caliber Luger ammunition and five boxes with 100 rounds of
223-caliber ammunition. But no weapons were found in the car.
A IC-V68 walkie-talkie, a pair of binoculars and a pocket
camera were also seized.
He said they were questioning the five detainees about the
source of the ammunition and the reason why it was in their
possession.
Djasman said that police officers became suspicious when they
saw a van parked inside the square, which is located on top of a
hill in the outskirts of Palu.
He said the two people outside the car told the police
officers that they were relaxing.
The police opened the doors of the van, and a carton
containing ammunition fell to the ground. Three people were also
inside the van. The police have detained all five for further
interrogation.
Jihad
In an unrelated development, 25 members of Laskar Jihad Ahlul
Sunnah wal Jamaah Muslim group, led by Ajip Safruddin, arrived in
Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi on Wednesday.
The unarmed jihad fighters came from Surabaya on board the MS
Tidar.
Ajip said that the purpose of the visit was to see firsthand
the life and conditions of Muslims in Poso, which has seen
violence recurring over the past month.
He also disclosed plans to open secretariats in Poso and Palu.
Ajip said that Jihad fighters were called to help Islamic
adherents in Poso after receiving information that a number of
Muslims in Poso had been killed.
"Muslims in Poso have been robbed of their rights and we have
come to help them get their rights back," he said. (24/sdt)