Three more suspects killed for resisting police arrest

JAKARTA (JP): Police shot dead three men, believed to be criminals, yesterday for resisting arrest in North Jakarta and South Jakarta, taking this month's death tally to at least nine.

Sgt. Nusirwan of the Penjaringan Police subprecinct said police shot two brothers who tried to rob a woman on Jl. Muara Baru at 2:00 a.m.

The two tried to escape after the woman screamed for help. "Police had to shoot them as two warning shots were ignored," the sergeant said.

Police identified the suspects as Tarsiwan alias Sarap, 29, and Rusli, 20, residents of Jl. Kampung Berok, Penjaringan district, in North Jakarta.

According to Nusirwan, the suspects died on the way to the Kramatjati Police Hospital.

Tarsiwan was shot in the leg and head while Rusli was shot in the leg and back, he said.

Saturday night the bodies of Tarsiwan and Rusli were still in the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital's morgue awaiting post mortem examination.

The third victim was Kopral, 21, who was shot by police in Ciputat, Tangerang.

A police officer at the South Jakarta Police precinct said the police shot the suspect at a traditional market in Ciputat because Kopral tried to escape.

Kopral, a suspected motorcycle thief, was arrested two weeks ago, the officer said.

"He was asked to show the hideout of his accomplices in the Ciputat market place. But he tried to escape instead."

The officer said that the shooting of Kopral was legal because warning shots had been ignored. The victim was shot in the leg, back and head.

Kopral and his three gang members were involved in several motorcycle thefts. "The three other suspects are still at large."

Police announced Friday that four men had been shot dead for resisting arrest Thursday and Friday.

Nimin Kosasih, 54, Samin, 34, and Yasan, 19, were gunned down in East, South, and North Jakarta for involvement in various vehicle thefts.

Another victim, Leonardo Defrede, a student, was shot dead Thursday in East Jakarta for possessing 100 grams of dried marijuana.

Police said that the shootings were conducted after warning shots gad been ignored.

Two other men were shot dead last Tuesday in West Jakarta and North Jakarta.

Jajang Munanjar, 29, was shot for robbing a bank employee on Jl. Raya Sereal, West Jakarta, while Andi Hermawan alias Ojeng, 23, was shot dead after stealing a motorcycle in front of an apartment in Sunter, North Jakarta.

According to informed sources police officers have been ordered to kill ex-convicts and hard-core criminals.

They said the criminals were taken to a certain place and ordered to escape before being shot. This speculation is based on the fact that no one has witnessed a single police shooting.

Official statements always say that the criminals were shot for resisting arrest and that the shootings were legal after two warning shots had been given.

City Police Spokesman Maj. Nyoman Suriasta denied the rumors, saying, the officers had to shoot the criminals because they tried to fight the police or had resisted arrest.

"As I read from the police reports, the police shot dead the criminals because they tried to escape or resist arrest," Nyoman told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

Last month City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said the police always monitor newly released ex-convicts, who they thought had the potential to reoffend at any time.

"Let's pray, the ex-jailbirds are hit by cars after getting out of jail so they will stop committing crimes," Hamami said jokingly.

Last year the police admitted to shooting dead 46 people.

Many people speculate that the recent shooting of alleged criminals is the "rerun" of the mysterious shootings of the early 1980s.

Many criminals were found dead in the city. Their bodies were dumped in a variety of places.

The mysterious shootings, called Petrus, drew strong reaction from human rights activists. (jun)