The Jakarta Post, 1/25/2006 11:20:16 AM
Police chief survives assassination attempt
POSO, Central Sulawesi (AP): The police chief in an Indonesian town wracked by
religious violence survived an attempt on his life Wednesday when a bullet fired by an
assailant on a motorbikenarrowly missed his head, a spokesman said.
Rudi Sufahriady was targeted as he rode on a motorbike to a mosque in Poso to take
part in morning prayers, said Bambang Suwedi, another police official in the town.
The assailant and the driver of the motorbike escaped after firing the shot, which
narrowly missed the police chief's head, said Bambang.
He declined to speculate on a possible motive.
Poso and surrounding districts saw fierce battles between Muslims and Christians in
2001 and 2002 that killed about 1,000 people. Fighting has now stopped, but Islamic
militants have continued a campaign of bombings, shootings and other attacks
onChristians.
Corruption of funds earmarked for reconstruction in the region is rife.
Police - who are often accused of graft and of playing a role in the religious violence
themselves - have arrested few believed to be behind the bloodshed and corruption.
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