Trisakti guns to undergo more tests
JAKARTA (JP): The National Police agreed yesterday to allow the National Police Forensic Laboratory (Puslabfor) to reexamine 21 guns used during the Trisakti University shooting incident, an officer said yesterday.
The head of the Trisakti investigation team/Jakarta Military Police chief, Col. Hendardji, said after a meeting with National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi that the reexamination would be held in coordination with independent ballistic experts from the metallurgy mechanics laboratory at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and state-owned weapons manufacturer PT Pindad.
The 21 guns -- 10 SS-1 rifles and 11 Steyr-AUGs -- are currently at Puslabfor awaiting further investigation.
"Why the reexamination? Because we felt that Puslabfor has been very secretive over the guns' examination. As investigators, we want to watch the scientific process and feel confident that none of the results were engineered," Hendardji told The Jakarta Post.
"The investigation is scheduled to start Monday. Basically we want to match the two bullets found at the scene of the Trisakti incident with the 21 guns.
The investigation team into the incident on May 12 in which four Trisakti University students died has disclosed that it identified two of the types of guns, SS-1 and Steyr AUG-P rifles, used in the fray.
Two bullets were also examined by experts from PT Pindad and the ITB metallurgy mechanics laboratory.
"Based on ballistic tests carried out on the two bullets collected as evidence, it can be concluded that Heri Hartanto, one of the students killed, was shot by a Steyr rifle," Hendardji said.
One of the two bullets was removed from Heri's body, while the second, fired from a SS-1 rifle, was recovered near a glass door in the Sjarif Thayeb building in the university complex.
"We have identified the guns and now we want to match the bullets with the 21 guns held at Puslabfor. The result will reveal the truth about who did the fatal shooting."
National Police spokesman Maj. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar told media after the meeting that Puslabfor is currently still conducting ballistic tests on the 21 guns.
"Such an examination cannot be rushed. So you have to be patient... we have agreed to conduct a joint investigation with the military police. Hopefully the truth will reveal itself," Da'i said.
The dispute over the investigation of the fatal shooting case emerged a month ago due to the delay in obtaining the ballistic tests results.
So far only two police officers out of 18 suspects have been brought before a military trial.
The two, First Lt. Agus Tri Heryanto and Second Lt. Pariyo, both from the Jakarta Police Mobile Brigade Unit, are charged under Article 103 of the Military Penal Code for committing an undisciplined act.
"We want to bring the suspects who were allegedly involved directly in the killing of the four students before the military trial. Therefore it all depends on the ballistic tests results," Hendardji said.
Another agreement reached at yesterday's meeting was that the police agreed to sign the decree to officially bring the 10 other police officers named as suspects in the Trisakti incident before a military tribunal.
The 10 police officers are currently detained at Jakarta Military Police headquarters in Guntur, South Jakarta.
"The Mobile Brigade Commander (the 10 officers' boss) gave his signature today.
"Therefore, it is for sure that all of those suspects will face military tribunals. So far we have completed dossiers of charges against five of them," Hendardji said.
He also said the 10 men admitted they were armed with Steyr- AUGs, which were used by Gegana Police squad. "I am sure at least one of them fired the fatal shot." (edt)