The Jakarta Post, 5 April 2002
Three suspects named in Ambon bombing
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Maluku Police named on Thursday three suspects in
Wednesday's bombing, which killed four people and wounded at least 58 others in the
eastern city of Ambon, saying they have identified those behind the huge blast.
However, Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Soenarko D.A. gave no details of the
masterminds behind the powerful explosion that rocked Ambon on Wednesday.
The three suspects were identified only by their initials O.P., Z, and J.
Soenarko said they were charged on the basis of testimonies given by five key
witnesses.
Soenarko, Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina and Pattimura Military Commander
Brig. Gen. Mustopo condemned the bombers as "inhuman and uncivilized", and
extended their condolences to the families of the dead.
"They are extremely savage. They hurled a bomb into a crowd," Mustopo said,
pledging to hunt down the masterminds.
In India, visiting President Megawati Soekarnoputri ordered the authorities to
immediately capture the bombers and bring them to court.
"I know there are certain parties who wish to provoke instability in Indonesia," she
said, adding that she was briefed about the latest development in Ambon.
"Without guaranteeing security, we will not be able to do anything, such as attracting
investors," Megawati said.
The security authorities in Maluku also confiscated a red Kijang van, from which the
perpetrators threw the bomb in front of Amboina Hotel and Nelayan Karaoke Bar
located on Jl. YanPaays, about 700 meters from the governor's complex.
Soenarko said the van was seized from Roda Baru restaurant, which had rented the
car.
The Padang food restaurant was located at the traffic circle in the Simpang Muslim
area, where the local police detective said the van drove off after the bombing.
Soenarko said the owner of the restaurant was also among those questioned by local
police.
Inside the car, the police found evidence that included a blue bag, a 1.2-meter
antenna and its cable, a power booster, a nine-volt battery and two 12-volt batteries.
Other pieces of evidence seized included a pedicab and a Vespa moped from the
scene, which were damaged in the explosion.
In Jakarta, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf said at least 15 people
have been interrogated over the incident, which has disrupted a peace pact to halt
three years of fightingbetween Muslims and Christians in Maluku.
"Many more could be implicated in the bombing. We know who are behind this. We
will get those people," he said.
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar echoed this claim: "We have obtained the
identities of the bombers".
He declined to elaborate.
"Those from both the Muslim and Christian sides, who oppose peace in Maluku were
involved in the incident," Da'i said.
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, who brokered the peace talks
last February, admitted the bombing was a "setback" to the peace process, but it
was not a "total failure of what we have achieved in Malino".
Malino is a hill resort in the South Sulawesi town of Gowa, which housed the peace
talks, during which Muslim and Christian leaders signed a deal on Feb. 12, 2002 to
end the sectarian conflict.
"They (the bombers) are people who want the killings to resume in Maluku. They were
all invited to the talks, but did not show up," Kalla said.
Those opposed to the peace accord include the extremist Laskar Jihad group and a
Christian separatist group. They argued that the signatories of the deal were not
genuine representatives of Maluku.
Asmara Nababan, secretary-general of the National Commission on Human Rights
(Komnas HAM), said the bombing should not be considered to have destroyed efforts
to promote peace in Maluku.
"The government should not be satisfied with the Malino peace agreement. It should
hold more peace talks with locals...because the deal signed in February was not
final," he said.
The huge blast sparked anger among Christians and others who converged at the
nearby governor's office and stoned the building, while a mob torched the rear of the
complex.
Latuconsina said the fire razed three floors of the building, including his office on the
second floor, causing some Rp 15 billion in losses to the province.
The governor started moving his office on Thursday to the local public works
department, while other civil servants were working at the forestry and plantation
office.
The provincial capital, Ambon, was calm on Thursday with traffic returning to the
streets and businesses remaining open."However, the city is not as crowded as
before," a resident said.
Ambon and the rest of Maluku province has largely been peaceful since the peace
pact was signed, with Muslims and Christians mingling freely on the
streets.(49/bby/tso/ylt)
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