Provocateurs monitored in East Java
Provocateurs monitored in East Java
SURABAYA (JP): At least 12 people suspected of being
provocateurs have been allegedly trying to incite riots in six
towns in East Java, province military chief Maj. Gen. Sudi
Silalahi said on Friday.
"Our intelligence officers have been observing their
activities. They have been distributing antigovernment leaflets
and terrorizing the public," Sudi said after Friday prayers at
the military headquarters.
These provocateurs have even tried to terrify the public with
bomb threats, but they have failed, he said.
Agreeing with Sudi, head of the military intelligence unit Lt.
Col. Liliek Kushadiyanto said two of the alleged provocateurs,
identified by the initials SY and RD alias IL, were from outside
Java and two others, identified as PR and KR, were from Jakarta.
"They have been targeting 12 towns in the country, including
six towns in East Java, namely Pasuruan, Probolinggo, Situbondo,
Bondowoso, Jember and Banyuwangi."
East Java is the stronghold of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the
largest Muslim organization, which was once chaired by former
president Abdurrahman Wahid.
Sudi said the activities of the alleged provocateurs might be
linked to the Bondowoso incident where eight people, including
two National Awakening Party (PKB) faction legislators, were
arrested for distributing antigovernment leaflets and posters
last Thursday morning.
The PKB faction legislators, identified as Mustawiyanto and M.
Rozak, and the six other people have been detained at the East
Java Police Headquarters on charges of undermining a legitimate
government. PKB was founded by former president Abdurrahman
Wahid.
"I am not confirming that these provocateurs' actions are
linked to the eight people arrested in Bondowoso. But, judging
from their modus operandi, their activities are probably linked."
When asked why the police did not arrest the alleged
provocateurs, Sudi said, "The police will arrest them when it has
sufficient evidence. We cannot act arbitrarily." (nur/sur)