Two soldiers involved in attack to be quizzed
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Military (TNI) will question two soldiers over their alleged involvement in an attack on Monday on a security post in Ambon, the riot-torn capital of Maluku, TNI Chief Adm. Widodo A.S. said on Thursday.
"I have issued an order for the two officers to be taken to Jakarta for further investigation," Widodo said here before a Cabinet meeting as quoted by Antara.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto confirmed that an Army officer was involved in the Hotel Wijaya incident.
"His name is Maj. Nurdin Nontji. As he has been proven to be partisan, we will soon impose stern sanctions on him," Endriartono said after chairing a closed-door briefing for Jakarta Military Command personnel here on Thursday.
Endriartono said the joint security force in Maluku was carrying out the special task of enforcing the civil emergency there, including detaining any police officers and soldiers who have deserted their units.
The joint security force, consisting of personnel from the Navy's marines, the Air Force's Special Force and the Army's Special Force, arrested 14 police officers and Army soldiers for their alleged participation in an attack by heavily armed Muslims on Monday.
The crowd was angry that troops killed four alleged rioters on Friday and Saturday.
Soldiers responded by firing shots at the attackers, killing 10 people in the fray, which continued until Tuesday.
Five soldiers, including an Army major, were arrested on Monday, while nine others, including a policewoman and an Army sergeant, were arrested on Tuesday. The soldiers and policewoman were arrested following a raid by the joint security force on Hotel Wijaya II at 5 a.m. on Monday.
The joint security force also seized two SS-1 rifles, four Luger handguns, an FN pistol, four Colt handguns, a combat knife, six magazines of ammunition for SS-1 rifles plus two homemade bombs and two grams of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) from the nine suspects.
Meanwhile, a fact-finding team led by the assistant for intelligence to the TNI chief of general affairs, Brig. Gen. Zulfahmi, arrived in Ambon on Thursday to investigate the alleged involvement of the soldiers in the attack.
The team, comprising eight military and police officers, "will directly go to the field to check on the truth", Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. I Made Yasa said at his office in Batu Gajah, Ambon, on Thursday.
"I've asked them to go straight to the field. They don't have to see me to find out what really happened out there. All the evidence is valid and available," Yasa said.
He also said the "rioters started the attack on Monday following takbir akbar (prayer) at several mosques in Ambon at 3 a.m. on Monday".
Not long after the prayers, the joint security force was attacked from all sides, including from the fish auction hall in Tantui, the bridge in Batu Merah and Victoria field in Mardika, The attack continued on Monday night near Bank Mandiri in Mardika and from Hotel Wijaya II, also in Mardika, Yasa said.
"Therefore I ordered all personnel to defend their position and gunfights took place because the attackers opened fire on us."
"If some Muslim leaders are angry and ask me to resign, I'm ready to die to defend the truth here.
"The lives of my troops are on the line here and we will take firm action against attackers from any camp," Yasa said.
Meanwhile in the Seram islands, the situation was returning to normal on Thursday after an attack on the predominantly Christian village of Hatualang on Wednesday that left an Army soldier dead.
Separately, Indonesian Red Cross chairman Mar'ie Muhammad was in Ambon on Thursday to open a medical post located between the warring camps in Paradise Tengah, Ambon.
In Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, Deputy House Speaker A.M. Fatwa said the House will meet with Minister of Defense Mahfud M.D. and the TNI and Nation Police chiefs on Feb. 6 to discuss the handling of violence in Maluku. (edt/49/02/27)