TNI weapon ruled out in murder case

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Police said on Friday that the bullet which killed Safwan Idris, the rector of Ar-Raniry Islamic Institute two weeks ago, could not have come from any standard weapon used by the Indonesian Military (TNI) or the National Police.

"The projectile found at the shooting location was fired from a U.S.-made .38 caliber gun," Aceh Police chief Brig. Gen. Doddy Sumantyawan said.

In contrast, TNI uses FN weapons and the National Police use Colt revolvers, he said

"We have also checked with the local chapter of the Indonesian Target Shooting and Hunting Association (Perbakin), but we did not find any registration for that kind of weapon," he said.

"We cannot find a gun distributor that handles that type of weapon here," he added.

Idris was shot point blank by two unidentified men at his home on the morning of Sept. 16.

Sumantyawan said the police would soon distribute a sketch of the two suspects.

He said the police had also questioned 25 suspects recently arrested in Jakarta in connection with the spate of bombings in the Indonesian capital to see if there was some connection with Idris' murder.

The majority of those arrested were Acehnese.

Meanwhile, another government facility became the target of an attack by unidentified armed men on Friday.

A building housing the local revenue agency in Bireuen regency near the industrial town of Lhokseumawe was razed by fire, North Aceh Police chief Supt. Abadan Bangko said.

Police have accused the armed separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) of launching attacks on government facilities.

GAM has denied the charges and instead has accused the police of continuing to terrorize the populace through their sweeping operations. (50/lup)