Seven hardcore criminals arrested at Bongkaran
JAKARTA (JP): The personnel of Operation Cleansing captured another seven criminals in a raid on their hideouts in the Tanah Abang district, Central Jakarta, red-light district, bringing to 669 people to have been netted in the army sponsored anti-crime operation.
"They are hardcore criminals, who are among those targeted by the operation," Lt. Col. Didi Supandi, spokesman for the Jakarta military command, told reporters yesterday.
The criminals, according to Didi, were captured at around 3 a.m. in the Bongkaran red-light district, which is well known here as one of the most dangerous brothel complexes, where many low-class prostitutes and criminals live.
Didi was quoted by Antara as saying the criminals had resisted arrest by the Operation Cleansing officers, trying to snatch their firearms or running away. For that reason the officers used physical force to subdue them.
"When we fired several warning shots, they didn't heed them. So we had to resort to force to apprehend them," Didi said, adding none of the criminals were seriously injured.
Didi refused to identify the men arrested.
Didi explained they are now being held at the Central Jakarta military garrison and will soon be transferred into police custody for further questioning.
Aside from the known criminals the Operation's officers captured 26 drunken youngsters and seized 1,827 bottles of spirits from some brothel-bistros (warung remang-remang) there.
Riot
But some witnesses told The Jakarta Post the arrests took place at 2 a.m. following a riot by 40 people on Jl. Jatibaru, an area not far from the red-light district.
The unidentified people, who were reportedly armed with sharp weapons and rocks, passed over the Tanah Abang bridge to Jl. Jatibaru, vandalizing businesses and vehicles along the way.
The 40 rioters vandalized hotels, freight forwarding company offices and restaurants and attacked passing Mikrolet minibuses, a truck and a taxi.
The Hotel Jawa-Sumatra, for example, had several glass windows broken, for which the hotel reportedly suffered Rp 500,000 (US$234) in losses. The freight forwarding company PT Tajur had its glass windows on the second floor pelted with rocks.
Witnesses said the rampage did not end until officers from the Jakarta military command and top area leaders took action to contain the mob.
The witnesses speculated the riot might have had something to do with the mysterious disappearance of a military man near the Bongkaran area on Friday evening.
Lt. Col. Imam Basuki, chief of the Central Jakarta military garrison, told the Post during an inspection visit to the area yesterday afternoon that the situation was well under control.
"Secure," Imam briefly commented before leaving the area.
Chief of the Kampung Bali subdistrict military command, Sgt. Sunyono Y.U. whose supervision area includes Jl. Jatibaru, said his superior has deployed officers to back up his men in supervising the area.
"Everything is already under control," he said.
Results
Meanwhile Lt. Col. Didi also revealed the latest results of Operation Cleansing since it started on April 11.
As of Monday, 662 people were already captured, 413 of them criminals, the rest youngsters who were caught while loitering drunk until late at night.
"Those who are proved to have been involved in crimes, including homicide and robbery, will be submitted to police, while the drunkards have and will be returned home after being given advice," said Didi.
Besides, said Didi, the operation had seized seven firearms, 218 sharp weapons, and 203,429 bottles of spirits, and thousands of illegal drugs.
Didi insisted the operation also includes among its targets the so-called supeltas, also known as pak ogah (street toughs acting as traffic wardens), who extort money from motorists and Armed Forces members who illegally back amusement centers.
"Under the Armed Forces internal regulations, what they do is just unacceptable, since it taints the Armed Forces' image," said Didi. (jsk)