The Jakarta Post
Palu, Jakarta
Two Muslim men were allegedly slain by a crowd angered by last month's execution of three Christian militants in Central Sulawesi province, police said Monday, while a small explosion shook Poso on Sunday.
The two had been missing for two weeks when their bodies were discovered Saturday in Pongge village in the strife-torn town of Poso, Central Sulawesi Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Muhammad Kilat said.
He said at least 14 suspects had been arrested and that the number could increase to up to 25 depending on the results of the police investigation.
Three of the suspects have said they decapitated the two victims on the orders of a man identified as Api Tumonggi.
"I used a machete to chop their heads off. Afterward, I ran to the backyard to hide. I really regret my wrongdoing," said Eping, 29, one of the three.
He said a feeling of guilt had "shadowed" him, prompting him to hand himself over to police, along with two other suspects, Bambang and Saiful, after hiding for a week.
"Api Tumonggi must be held responsible for the crime. I was only his accomplice," Eping said.
He said the two victims had attempted to hide inside a house of one of the village's residents, but the mob was so large it was impossible to escape.
Kilat said the men had been traveling in a truck carrying fish when they were stopped by a crowd of Christians on Sept. 23, a day after police executed three Christians for leading a militia in several attacks that killed Muslims during sectarian violence in Poso six years ago.
"They were told to stop but refused. They were chased by the angry group and mobbed," Kilat was quoted by Reuters as saying, adding that the attack had been "spontaneous".
The Sept. 22 executions of Fabianus Tibo, Marianus Riwu and Dominggus da Silva triggered riots among Christians, while human rights groups have raised questions over the fairness of the trial.
The family of Tibo, who live on Flores island, said Monday they had decided to have his body autopsied and to take the case to an international court for alleged human rights violations in the execution.
"We held a family meeting on Friday in Ende (in Flores) and agreed to conduct and autopsy and file a suit with an international court," family spokeswoman Yustinus Sani told Antara.
Five bullet wounds were found in each of the three men, she said, indicating they had been tortured before being shot dead by the firing squad.
Yustinus said the plans for the autopsy and lawsuit would have to wait until after the 40th night ceremony had been held for Tibo. Local custom forbids an autopsy less than 40 days after death.
Meanwhile, a bomb blast shook Poso on Sunday night, but there were no reports of deaths or injuries.
The explosion, believed to have been caused by a homemade bomb, took place 9:45 p.m. in Kasiguncu subdistrict. A house owned by former Poso legislative council member Pedi Tandwuiya, was damaged in the blast. Pedi vacated the building in 2000 because of the escalating violence in the area.
National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Bambang Kuncoko said two witnesses had been questioned over the low-explosive blast.
"There are people and groups that don't want Poso and Central Sulawesi to be stable. However, the situation is now under control. We have deployed eight squads of officers to many locations across the town," Bambang said.***
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