Chief of Indonesian Police: Arrest Perpetrators of Poso Rioting
Wednesday, 08 November, 2006 | 20:20 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Chief of Indonesian Police General Sutanto has ordered that perpetrators suspected of being the masterminds of the Poso rioting be captured soon.

Responsibility for the arrests has been fully handed over to investigators at the Central Sulawesi Police Department.

“Arrest the perpetrators as soon as possible accordance with the results of the investigation,” said the Chief after attending a coordinating meeting at the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs' office yesterday (11/7).

Sutanto has asked that the hunting and the capture still be in line with laid-down procedures and the Penal Code.

Previously, the police had already issued warnings against 29 persons who are suspected of being involving
in Poso rioting.

Police have claimed that these 29 persons have been handed over to Poso Muslim leaders and gave them a one-week deadline to hand over the suspected perpetrators.

The deadline expired yesterday (11/7).

Nonetheless, up until the final day, Poso's Muslim leader had not yet handed over the 29 persons who are considered as fugitives by the police.

“We are yet to hear any news coming from Poso's Muslim leaders,” said the spokesperson for the Indonesian Police General Anton Bachrul Alam.

Meanwhile, Poso Muslim cleric Adnan Arsal said that his party has not yet decided whether or not to hand over the fugitives to police.

In addition, Adnan is still in Jakarta and will only return to Poso tomorrow (11/9).

“Give us, Muslims in Poso, a chance to discuss this,” said Adnan.

Erwin Dariyanto