AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, Wednesday January 8, 2003
Lawyer says Indonesian soldiers helped attacks by Christian
gang
JAKARTA, Jan 8 (AFP) - A lawyer for a Christian gang suspected of deadly bombings
and shootings in Indonesia's Maluku province said Wednesday some attacks had
been assisted by special forces soldiers.
He said detained members of the youth gang Coker have admitted they had waged a
series of attacks since 2000, including last year's blast at a soccer stadium that killed
four female athletes and the sinking of a boat that also killed four.
Both Muslims and Christians died in the stadium bombing.
More than 5,000 people have died in clashes between Muslims and Christians in the
Malukus since 1999. A government-brokered peace pact was signed in February last
year but sporadic violence has continued.
"During questioning, members of the Coker gang said Kopassus (special forces)
soldiers gave them directives, weapons and bombs to carry out every attack (last
year)," lawyer Christian Rahayaan told AFP.
The 17 gang members are currently being detained at Brimob paramilitary police
headquarters southeast of Jakarta.
The gang, whose name in Indonesian is short for Cool Guys, has admitted it had
brought almost all the attacks since last year's peace pact, Rahayaan said, adding
the group staged at least 11 bombings since 2000.
"Every explosion and shooting carried out by Coker last year was facilitated by
Kopassus," Rahayaan said.
"It's clear that the unrest in Maluku is the work of provocateurs. They use the unrest
as a pretext to create the impression that without the military, Maluku won't be safe,"
he said.
Maluku military spokesman Major Herry Suhardi said the military would investigate
the suspects' alleged admissions.
"It's a one-sided statement. The information about the involvement of Kopassus
needed to be verified," Suhardi told Detikcom news agency.
"We will enforce the law on anyone if evidence is found."
Seven Kopassus soldiers accused of killing a separatist leader in Papua province are
on trial in a military court. tn/sm/lg
Copyright © 2002 AFP. All rights reserved.
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