TNI weapon ruled out in murder case

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)