Three suspects arrested over Maluku attack: Da'i

M. Azis Tunny and Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Ambon/Nusa Dua

Police have arrested three people in connection with the Monday attack on a Maluku police post that killed seven people, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Tuesday.

"We're still questioning the three arrested suspects," Da'i said after the opening of the 25th Asean Chiefs of Police Conference in Nusa Dua, Bali.

In Ambon, however, police on Tuesday would only confirm they had arrested one suspect on Monday night and refused to comment about the detention of any others.

Seven people, including five policemen, died after a group of unidentified gunmen attacked a Mobile Brigade (Brimob) post in the village of Loki in Seram, the largest island in Maluku province. One civilian and an attacker were also killed in the incident in which the gunmen reportedly used military standard- issue firearms.

Da'i said the attackers were believed to have been trying to disrupt security in and around Ambon and said police were investigating whether there would be more similar strikes.

He would not comment on whether the attackers were civilians.

"When the investigation is finished, we'll let you know. We will let you know in one or two days," Da'i said.

In Ambon, a suspect, Dahlan alias Asep, was arrested by the police on Monday night at a hideout in Batumerah village.

Found in a villager's house, Dahlan had a gunshot wound to his right hand. Police reportedly also found military standard-issue firearms suspected to have been used in the attack at the house.

Two residents who witnessed the incident, Wahidin and Junaidi, were also questioned by police.

Meanwhile, two Brimob platoons from the Maluku and West Kalimantan Police found a bag consisting hundreds of rounds of ammunition and two homemade bombs when conducting an investigation into the attack in the Durian Patah area in Hunuth village, Teluk Ambon Baguala district.

The search was made following a tip from a pickup driver who said he had transported two suspicious men from the Leihitu regency.

Ambon and Lease Islands Police deputy chief Comr. Deny Hermana said in Ambon that the driver told police the two men had said they wanted to go to Laha village but in the Durian Patah area they threw a package out of the car.

"Not far from the location where they threw out the package, the suspects asked to stop and get out and through the car's rear view mirror, the driver saw that they walked back toward the package," Hermana said.

Hermana said Asep was suspected of being involved in the incident because of his gunshot injury.

Police earlier said they believed the attack was conducted by six people, with bloodstains at the location indicating some of the group were injured in the incident.

Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Adityawarman confirmed that police has arrested one suspect but declined to comment on the reason behind the attack.

"There's been (a suspect) arrested. I'll inform you later," he said after a ceremony to pay respect to the dead police officers at Pattimura Airport before their bodies were sent to their families.