Reconstruction of Ciracas murder to be kept secret
JAKARTA (JP): In order to avoid possible attacks on the suspects by angry mobs, the reconstruction of the Ciracas killings may not be carried out at the crime site, says a senior police officer.
"It's not a good idea to hold the reconstruction there, as the situation is still simmering," secretary to chief of the Greater Jakarta Police Crime Investigation Directorate, Lt. Col. Edi Darnadi, told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
According to Edi, the reconstruction may take place at a similar location, but he refused to reveal where and when that would be.
"The reconstruction will not be carried out this week," he said.
The murder of a housewife and her three young children from Bambu Apus, East Jakarta, on Monday last week have ignited public anger.
Soon after the police announced the arrest of the suspects, which were the victims' neighbors, over the weekend local residents destroyed the suspects' houses.
The angry mob also burned and destroyed other houses belonging to the suspects' relatives or those believed to know of the murder plot but failed to report to the police. Police officers were also attacked by the mob when they were unable to break through police lines in the area.
Thousands of people visiting the crime site stoned and burned the suspects' house located about 100 meters from the victims' house. Two other nearby houses and a number of police officers were also attacked by the angry crowd.
The intense public response is forcing the police to consider another location for the reconstruction.
Police have blocked all the entrances to the immediate area since Tuesday in order to avoid further serious destruction.
The residents, afraid of possible attacks by the mob, have put signs on their walls reading: "We are not the suspects' relatives" or "This is not the property of the suspects."
Psychiatrist
A police officer, who asked not to be named, said yesterday that the main suspect, identified as Filipus, probably has a mental problem. "The fact that he asked his son and nephews to kill the woman and children is evidence that there is something wrong with him," the officer said.
The officer said that Filipus had not yet described how he mutilated the victims during interrogation. "Police may need a psychiatrist to accompany him."
According to the officer, many are unable to understand how the suspects could brutally kill the 31-year-old housewife and her three children, aged two, four and eight, just because of some cassava plants. (bsr)