Seven 'ninja' suspects murdered in Central Java

SEMARANG, Central Java: Seven more people accused of being "ninja" assassins were killed by mobs in separate places in the province on Saturday.

Angry mobs attacked strangers they suspected of being killers targeting religious leaders. The killers are dubbed "ninjas" on account of their clothing and stealth and have been sought for the murders of about 180 people. The murders were first reported in September and most victims were initially in East Java.

Saturday's victims were the latest in a wave of mob attacks against suspected "ninjas" after locals decided police were too slow in responding to the murders.

The victims were two youths beaten to death in Pati, a man in Karanganyar, an unidentified man in Tegal and three employees of Jakarta-based PT Astra Credit Company. The latter were on their way home after conducting business in Surabaya, East Java, and were resting in Pemalang.

In Tegal, the man had reportedly gone to Lemah Duwur village and failed to adequately answer questions about his business there. Mobs beat him to death, poured gasoline over his body and then set it alight.

Deputy Chief of the Pati police precinct Maj. Suwondo regretted the murders of the two men in his jurisdiction, saying the two were killed when they visited their families in Dukuhseti and Cluwak districts. "I do not understand why the people got angry so easily and killed the two youths," he said.

Demak police precinct chief Lt. Col. R.M.L. Tampubolon said that 33-year-old Suyitno was killed in Karanganyar and that his car was burned.

"He was not a 'ninja' but a depressed person recently released from a hospital," he said.

Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi, the Central Java Police chief, confirmed the identity of the Astra employees: Hasyim Tafsir, 38, Bonar Pandjaitan, 33, and Rudi Hasibuan, 30.

"The three were killed when taking a break in Pemalang on their way from Surabaya to Jakarta," he said, adding the mob also threw stones at shops and damaged a number of traffic lights.

They had demanded the release of suspected "ninjas" who they said were in police custody. Nurfaizi denied this.

Some cars and motorcycles were also razed in the violence. Pemalang Plaza was among the stores attacked and all stores in the town closed following the riot.

Nurfaizi also denied that the police were proving slow to respond. He cited as an example that the police had moved quickly in handling the murder of Rochmadi, a Moslem cleric in Demak, capturing a suspect only hours later.

Nurfaizi acknowledged that it was difficult to collect physical evidence to ascertain who was behind the murders.

In Jakarta a few traditional Moslem boarding schools were reportedly on the alert at the weekend following threats from unknown callers. (har/45/rms)