Soldiers attack police station, four injured

Soldiers attack police station, four injured

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

At least four people were injured, including two police officers,
when dozens of Army soldiers attacked the Langkat Police station
in Binjai regency, North Sumatra, on Sunday morning.

Dozens of soldiers from the Army's airborne battalion stormed
the station at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, injuring two police
officers, including chief of detectives Adj. Sr. Comr. Togu
Simandjuntak, whose right ear was slashed by a bayonet wielded by
one of the assailants.

Another police officer, Second Insp. M. Simbolon, suffered a
stab wound to his hand.

Police officers responded by firing their weapons, wounding
two attackers -- Chief Privates Rahmat and Hilal -- on their
feet.

The two injured police officers are being treated at the
Gleneagles Hospital in Medan, while the two soldiers were taken
to the Bukit Barisan Military Hospital, also in Medan.

Bukit Barisan Military Commander Maj. Gen. Idris Gassing said
the attack was initiated by Chief Pvt. Rahmat, who was upset
about the arrest of a civilian friend for drug possession.

Rahmat wanted his friend freed, which the Langkat Police
refused to do. Angered by the officers' refusal, Rahmat gathered
a number of fellow soldiers to attack the police station.

"The attack on the Langkat Police station was initiated by our
personnel. That is clearly a big mistake," Idris told journalists
on Sunday morning in Medan.

Idris said he had reported the incident to Army Chief of Staff
Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, and in line with Ryamizard's policy of
being tough on errant soldiers stern action, including discharge,
would be taken against those involved in the attack.

"This is not the first such incident. Similar incidents
continue to take place, so we want to take action that will shock
recalcitrant personnel. We will discharge them," he said.

Idris said he had already apologized to North Sumatra Police
chief Insp. Gen. Ansyad Mbai, who he said had expressed his
forgiveness.

Quoting Ansyad, Idris said the attack may have been triggered
by a lack of understanding or narrow-mindedness on the part of
the assailants about the work of the police.

Idris also said that military and police leaders in Binjai
regency had held a meeting to take preventive measures to stop
any possible revenge attacks by police personnel.

"The coordination meeting involved the battalion commander,
district military commander, police resort chief and Binjai
administration officials, and they have agreed on measures to
prevent the incident from spreading," he said.