On Friday, six men accused of launching an attack on a military post in Maybrat district, which claimed the lives of four soldiers, were flown from Sorong city to Makassar city in South Sulawesi.
According to head of the Sorong Prosecutors Office's Intelligence Section, I Putu Sastra Adi Wicaksana, their case will be tried by the Makassar District Court due to security reasons.
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While waiting to hear their charges at the Makassar District Court, the six suspects will remain in the custody of the South Sulawesi police, he informed.
Wicaksana, however, did not provide the names of the suspects, who have been charged for violating Articles 170, 338, 340, and 353 juncto Article 55 (1) of the Criminal Code.
Early on the morning of September 2, a Papuan separatist terrorist group, which the six suspects are alleged to be members of, had ambushed soldiers while they were asleep at the Kisor military post. The post is located in Kisor village, South Aifat sub-district, Maybrat district.
Four soldiers -- 2nd Sergeant Amrosius, Chief Private Dirham, First Private Zul Ansari, and First Lieutenant Dirman -- died in the attack, while two others sustained serious injuries.
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The bodies of three soldiers were found at the post, while the body of another soldier was discovered in the bushes not far from the post.
After the incident, several local residents had fled their homes fearing for their safety.
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)-Papua Office, which investigated the terror attack, conducted a crime scene investigation and met with witnesses, two suspects, and survivors of the attack.
According to the commission's head, Frits B. Ramandey, preliminary findings indicated that the suspects had launched a well-planned and organized attack.
The preliminary findings indicate that the soldiers who survived the attack fired warning shots, but did not open fire at their attackers, Ramandey informed in a statement issued in September 2021.
He then lauded the soldiers' for their response to the attackers despite being in a critical situation.
The Papua-based Human Rights Commission also praised Maybrat district head Bernard Sagrim for reassuring local residents following the incident.
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Besides Komnas HAM, the West Papua police also investigated the case.
ANTARA has reported earlier that eight days after the attack, the West Papua police arrested two suspects and launched a manhunt for 17 others.
The police named 19 suspects in connection with the case.
West Papua police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Adam Erwindi told local journalists on September 10, 2021, that the two suspects were identified by their initials as MY(20) and MS(18).
The arrests of MY, a resident of Boksu village, and MS, a resident of Insum village of South Aifat sub-district, helped police investigators uncover the names of the 17 other suspects, Adam Erwind said.
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Based on the confessions made by MY and MS to South Sorong police, the 17 other suspects were identified as Silas Ki, Manfred Fatem, Musa Aifat, Setam Kaaf, Titus Sewa, Irian Ki, Alfin Fatem, Agus Kaaf, Melkias Ki, Melkias Same, Amos Ki, Musa Aifat, Moses Aifat, Martinus Aisnak, Yohanes Yaam, Agus Yaam, and Robi Yaam, the policeman informed.
The attack had been thoroughly planned and organized by members of the West Papua National Committee operating in the Kisor neighborhood of Maybrat district, Erwindi said.
Therefore, the police classified the attack as a premeditated crime by the KNPB-Kisor chapter, led by Silas Ki, he added.
The attack on Kisor military post in West Papua Province has added to the list of cases of armed violence in Papua and highlighted the grave danger posed by Papuan separatist terrorists, officials said.
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Intan Jaya District in Papua province, which is located in Indonesia's eastern most island, for instance, recorded its bloodiest month in September 2020, with notorious armed groups launching a series of attacks that claimed the lives of two soldiers and two civilians and left two others injured.
The armed groups continued their acts of terror this year, too.
On April 25, 2021, Papuan separatists, operating in Beoga, ambushed State Intelligence Agency (Papua) chief I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha and several security personnel during their visit to Dambet village.
Nugraha died of gunshot wounds sustained in the attack.
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Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
