Policemen fired over stray bullets

Policemen fired over stray bullets

JAKARTA: The Police Disciplinary Board has recommended
dismissal for two policemen due to negligence that led to the
deaths of two girls and left another civilian injured in the
Taman Sari area, West Jakarta last month.

"The recommendation was submitted to Jakarta Police chief
Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara. The chief's decision will be in
accordance with the recommendation," said Jakarta Police
spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo.

The two policemen are Brig. Budi, who accidentally shot the
three bystanders, and First Insp. Heru Julianto, the leader of
the police team who at that time was pursuing suspected drug
dealers.

Prasetyo earlier said that the team was responsible for the
shooting as it failed to conduct a briefing prior to the
operation.

"They must have a detailed briefing to decide their role in
the operation, including how they will react in the worst-case
scenario."

Stray bullets killed bystanders Ina Surtianah and three-and-a-
half-year-old Eli and injured Eli's mother Mela Taskina, 28. --
JP

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ANPAj..r..
Fokus-trial-witness
Witness fails to identify suspect
JP/8/G-CRIME

Witness fails to identify suspect

JAKARTA: A key witness in the bombing of the Philippine
ambassador's residence in August 2000 failed to identify the main
suspect Abdul Jabar as the perpetrator during a trial at the
Central Jakarta District Court on Monday.

Titin Supriyatin, a street sweeper on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Central
Jakarta, was on duty in the morning of Aug. 1, 2000, when three
men approached her and asked her to watch over their red Suzuki
Carry minivan parked across the street in front of the
ambassador's residence.

"I was standing in front of the General Elections Committee
(KPU) office building when they came to me. One of them later
walked down the street toward the Menteng area, while the other
two left on a motorcycle. Minutes later, the car exploded," she
said.

Prosecutor Suharto later asked Titin if one of the three was
present in the courtroom. Titin first said no, but later she said
the defendant "resembled one of them". Abdul Jabar was smiling
when she made the deposition.

The bombing at the Philippine envoy's residence killed two
housekeepers at the envoy's residence and injured then ambassador
Leonides T. Caday and drivers Ebenbier Wonua and Sari Monang.
Titin, who was 50 meters away from the scene, was also injured.

Presiding Judge Pramudana Kusumah adjourned the hearing on
July 14 to hear witness Amrozi, the main suspect in the Bali
bombing trial, who is also implicated in the case.-- JP

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Focus-Sanca-Mega-mall
Five-meter python found at mall
JP/8/Sanca

Five-meter python found at mall

JAKARTA: A five-meter Python reticulatus, locally known as a
sanca, was found at Megamal Pluit, North Jakarta, on Monday.

The snake was found by a security guard at 7 a.m. inside the
mall. The guard then contacted Penjaringan police station.

"As we are not familiar with handling snakes, we asked an
animal tamer from Kapuk to help capture it," said First Insp.
Sukardi from Penjaringan police station.

The snake was later taken to the police post after it had been
placed in a sack.

Sukardi alleged that the snake had emerged from its nest in a
swampy area of Pluit that had been transformed into residential
and commercial estates.

The snake did not disrupt mall activities as it was captured
immediately. -- JP