Resentment behind Sangaji's murder

JAKARTA: Three defendants in the murder trial of former gang leader Basri Sangaji told the South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday that they killed him last October out of revenge.

"My elder brother died after he was attacked by Basri Sangaji and his friends in Kayu Manis (East Jakarta) in 2004," said Semmy Key in a court session on Tuesday.

A similar statement was made by two other suspects in the case -- ER alias Kupas and RT alias Subur.

According to Semmy, he and seven others came to the hotel after they received information that Sangaji was staying there.

Semmy said he came to the hotel lobby to seek confirmation about Basri's presence. After he was convinced that Basri was in the hotel, he called on seven of his friends, who were waiting in the parking lot.

Initially, they planned to kill Basri when he came out of the hotel, but as Basri did not come out by 3 a.m. on Oct. 12, they came to room No. 301 and attacked Basri, according to SR alias Lois, another suspect.

The attack seriously wounded two others -- Jamal and Ali Sangaji, who were with Basri in the hotel. --Antara