Suspect in Mamasa violence arrested

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Police have arrested one of the persons alleged to have incited the April 24 violence in Mamasa regency, West Sulawesi, which lead to the deaths of four people and injured seven others.

South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf, who also oversees the newly-established West Sulawesi province, said that the suspect, Amiruddin (22), was apprehended in Rante Bulahan village on Thursday morning.

The police seized an FN handgun and 10 bullets from the suspect, who will be transferred to South Sulawesi police for interrogation, Saleh said.

According to police, Amiruddin and a group of other people attacked the Ranu subdistrict, Mamasa regency, on Sunday night and burned down houses. Two were shot dead, while two others died after a fire razed their homes.

While some have speculated that the attack was linked to protest over the setting up of the new Mamasa regency three years ago, the police do not believe this, pointing out that three of the suspects were residents of South Sulawesi's Poso area.

Saleh said that the police were still chasing other suspects. -- detik.com