Palu Police Shooters are Suspected Terrorists
Saturday, 28 May, 2011 | 14:46 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Palu:The Central Sulawesi police believes that the shooters of three policemen in Palu were members of a terrorist network. According to Brig. Gen. Dewa Parsana, Central Sulawesi Police Chief, the perpetrators’ motives were to look for weapons to use in bigger terrorist actions. “They weren’t looking for money,” said Dewa yesterday.

But Dewa refused to specify the identities of the arrested perpetrators and their network. “It’s not for release yet,” said Dewa. “We are still processing the information.”

Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar, a National Police deputy spokesman, concurred. According to Boy, the perpetrators are suspected of planning other attacks. This is evident when they took the officers’ weapons. “The fact is they want firearms,” said Boy yesterday.

Last Wednesday afternoon, four men with motorcycles shot at policemen who were guarding the Bank Central Asia (BCA) building, at the Poso branch in Jalan Emy Saelan.

Two members of the Palu Police Precinct, Second Brigardiers Januar Yudhistira Pranata and Andi Irbar Prawira, were killed, while Chief Brig. Dedy Edward Undusten was wounded in the thigh.

The attack is reminiscent of the robbery of Bank CIMB Niaga Medan and the assault towards Hamparan Perak Sector Police (Polsek) in North Sumatra, on September last year.

After shooting and seizing the officers’ firearms, the Palu police shooters headed to Poso. But in a raid carried out several hours after the incident, two of the attackers were arrested: 23-year-old Rafli also known and Furgan, and 27-year-old Ardianto also known as Anto.

During Rafli and Ardianto’s capture, police found three long-barelled guns and one firearm taken from the police. Also at the Sigi area, locals discovered two bags dumped in the bushes containing various suspicious items such as: face-veils, pocket knife, trigger buttons, and VCDs containing programs calling for jihad.

Two other people whom the police believes abetted the attackers, Fauzan and Dara, escaped the authorities.

Until yesterday, the Central Sulawesi police stations were still flying the flag at half mast as a sign of mourning. Policemen remained on guard at several areas.

DARLIS | RIKY FERDIANTO