Police Ignore Islamic Group’s Deadline
Tuesday, 07 November, 2006 | 15:33 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The police will not wait to capture 29 perpetrators of violence in Poso, Central Sulawesi, as requested by prominent Poso Muslim. “If we can catch them, we catch them. No need to wait until Tuesday,” General Sutanto, Chief of National Police (Polri), told reporters after attending the cabinet meeting at the President’s office, yesterday (6/11).

Brig. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam, Deputy Head of Public Relations at Polri HQ, said pursuit of the 29 perpetrators will be carried out after the deadline, which is today.

Sutanto said currently the police pursue and persuade at the same time. Regarding the deadline from KH Adnan Arsal, leader of Amanah Tanah Runtuh Islamic Boarding School, Poso. Sutanto said the police will not compromise. “I suppose it’s a bargaining position. Whoever violates the law, will certainly be captured ,” he said. Sutanto does not guarantee there will not be any torture against the captured suspects.

Until yesterday not even one of the 29 perpetrators had given up. “Until yesterday, there wasn’t any understanding (giving up), “ said Adjunct Chief Comm. M. Kilat, spokesperson of Central Sulawesi Regional Police, yesterday. He said that the police will hunt them down as soon as possible. Kilat asked Posonese to understand and not over-react when the police captured those on the wanted list.

Kilat said currently aside from the 29 people, the police has captured 15 riot suspects. Kilat disputed that the police only focused on Poso cases that involved Islamic groups. “That’s incorrect. The suspects of cases that are revealed just happen to be from one community,“ he said.

To support the police task, Indonesian Military (TNI) started deploying troops in Poso. “Not many, only around two units, equivalent to company level,” Brig. Gen. Boedi Heryanto, Military Area Command Wirabuana Chief of Staff, told Tempo after the inauguration of TNI Army Media Center.

Oktamandjaya Wiguna, Darlis, Dian Yuliastuti and Dimas