Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu
The Central Sulawesi Police have named a police officer a suspect in last year's nonfatal shooting of two female high school students in the conflict-torn city of Poso.
Provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Oegroseno confirmed that an officer, whom he identified only as a first brigadier with the initials IL, had been named a suspect and was being detained for questioning.
"It's true. We have named him a suspect and have held him in prison since Tuesday," Oegroseno said Wednesday.
He said that if the officer was found to have been involved in the shooting of the schoolgirls, identified as Ivon Natalia and Siti Nuraini, both 18, he would be given the heaviest punishment possible.
Oegroseno said investigators were looking for evidence in the case, including the gun used in the shooting, as well as exploring possible motives, whether it was meant to spread terror in Poso or was a personal attack.
He said the suspect would remain in detention for about 120 days while his case file was completed. "If there's no evidence that he is responsible for the shooting, he will be released," Oegroseno said.
Officers named the first brigadier a suspect following a presentation on the case by a joint team from the National Police and the Central Sulawesi Police several days ago.
The presentation was made after the two victims told authorities their attacker was a member of the Poso Police and identified him by name.
The shooting took place Nov. 8 last year, as Ivon and Siti were sitting in front of one of the girl's houses in Kasintuwu district, Poso. A motorcycle approached and shots were fired. Though both girls were injured, they managed to catch a look at the shooter's face.
"Although it was very painful, I managed to look up and saw his face. I was surprised because I knew him," Ivon told journalists after testifying recently at the office of the non-governmental group Poso Center.
Immediately after the shooting, police in Poso arrested three people, Ismet, alias Metu, David and Aksan.
However, all three were released because of a lack of evidence connecting them to the attack. Ismet reportedly had to be hospitalized at a mental institution after his release, which his family said was the result of physical abuse he suffered while in custody.
Last month, the government extended a security operation in Poso, where more than 1,000 people died in religious violence between 2000 and 2001. The operation was extended for three months because of continued tension in the area, but no new troops or police will be brought in.
About 4,000 police officers and soldiers were deployed to restore order in Central Sulawesi in 2005 after a series of shootings and bombings in the region.***
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