Trial of Atambua incident suspects moved to capital

Trial of Atambua incident suspects moved to capital

JAKARTA (JP): The trial of six suspects in last month's murder
of three UN aid workers in Atambua, West Timor, will be moved to
the capital due to security concerns in the border town, an
officer said on Sunday.

"For security reasons, the police are going to request the
Atambua Prosecutor's Office write to the Attorney General's
Office to move the trial venue to Jakarta," East Nusa Tenggara
Police chief Brig. Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika told visiting
Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at El Tari Airport in Kupang, East Nusa
Tenggara.

"Police will hand over the dossiers, the evidence, and the six
suspects to the Atambua Prosecutor's Office next week. We are
still looking for three more suspects who are at large," Antara
news agency quoted him as saying.

Susilo was accompanied by Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander
Adm. Widodo AS, Minister of Settlement and Territorial
Development Erna Witoelar, Minister of Manpower and
Transmigration Al Hilal Hamdi, Junior Minister of the
Acceleration of Development in Eastern Indonesia Manuel Kaisiepo
and several high-ranking TNI officers.

Mangku Pastika said that although the crime occurred in
Atambua, the trial should be held in the capital.

"This may take time, but it is for the sake of security," he
said.

Article 85 of the Criminal Code Procedures states that based
on the recommendation of the concerned district court or
prosecutor's office, should security conditions prevent a
district court from hearing a case the Supreme Court can suggest
the minister of justice appoint another district court to hear
the case.

According to the police, the murder of the three UN workers on
Sept. 6 was triggered by the killing of ex-militia leader Olivio
Moruk. Seven suspects have so far been named in Olivio's murder.

The three UN workers were killed after a mob stormed the UN
High Commissioner for Refugees office in Atambua, just hours
before the opening of the UN Millennium Summit in New York, which
was attended by some 150 world leaders, including President
Abdurrahman Wahid.

At the time, Abdurrahman said the attack, which prompted
international condemnation of Indonesia, was a well-organized
scheme to humiliate him at the international summit.

Earlier, Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said TNI personnel
were implicated in the deaths of the former militia leader and
the UN aid workers.

Marzuki said "elements of the military" were among 13 suspects
arrested for their alleged involvement in the killings. However,
he stopped short of releasing their names.

Mangku Pastika also said the trial of pro-Indonesia East
Timorese militia leader Eurico Guterres would be held in Jakarta,
Antara reported.

"The crime occurred in Atambua, but Eurico's case too will be
tried in Jakarta. We're bringing all the evidence in Eurico's
case to Jakarta next week," he said.

Police have charged Eurico with provoking several militiamen
to storm the Belu Police station on Sept. 24 and seize rifles
which they earlier had handed over to the police. (ylt)