Poso militant claims responsibility for 17 attacks
Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu, February 03, 2007

A Muslim militant arrested by police Thursday admitted Friday to being involved in 17 sectarian attacks in conflict-stricken Poso and Palu, Central Sulawesi.
Basri, also known as Bagong, confessed his involvement in numerous incidents, including in the beheading of three Christian schoolgirls in 2005 and the shooting of Rev. Susianti Tinulele in Palu in 2005.
"I also shot the Poso Police chief (Adj. Sr. Comr. Rudy Sufahriadi in 2005) ... it did not take place before he was about to perform dawn prayer, but afterward. I was instructed to shoot him as he was a thagut (person who does not implement God's law)," he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
He also informed police of other criminal acts he had been involved in, including several shootings and robberies.
Basri claimed he acted out of revenge after 26 of his relatives were killed during sectarian conflicts in 2000 and 2001. He said their bodies were thrown into a river.
"All that was found of one of my relatives was his head. Another had his hands cut off. My auntie's stomach was torn open, and she was pregnant. I rescued their remains ...," he said. "I want to avenge their deaths. I want revenge against those Christians. They've killed my family."
Soon after the deaths of his family members, Basri said he joined Poso's Mujahidin group and attended preachings. Many of the preachers came from Java, he said.
He was instructed to fight against kafir (infidels) and thagut, which included security personnel.
"Security personnel are thagut because they don't punish Muslims under Islamic law. That's why we fight them," Basri said.
Basri said he was given weapons by a man identified only as Rifki. He said he was unsure as to whether Rifki was a member of Jamaah Islamiyah or Al Qaeda.
Basri said he was often afraid of conducting the acts of terrorism assigned to him and had considered surrendering to police. He refrained, however, upon being told by preachers that to surrender was haram (forbidden under Islamic law).
The 30-year-old was arrested by the South Sulawesi Police Mobile Brigade paramilitary unit along with Hariyanto and Ardin. The latter was also on police wanted lists.
Police were initially unaware they had captured Basri, but later identified him by his rose tattoo. He was formerly a drummer in a rock band.
He said he had not escaped Poso after bloody police raids in Tanah Runtuh on Jan. 22 because of a gunshot wound to his stomach.
"Besides, I'm responsible for anak bebek (young, armed civilians in Poso) and the city was tightly surrounded by the police. So I was hiding out in Kayamanya district," he said.
Following his arrest, Basri said he wished only for peace in Poso, and to play in his rock band once again.
"I feel sorry for Poso's residents. They're restless and afraid of what we did," he said.
He also urged those remaining on police wanted lists to surrender.
Poso and surrounding districts became the focal point of sectarian conflicts between Muslims and Christians that killed around 1,000 people in 2000 and 2001.
Peace was brought to the province after the signing of a truce in 2001, but sporadic unrest has persisted.
Meanwhile, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam told reporters in Palu that another wanted suspect, Amril Ngiode, also known as Aat, had surrendered.
He said only 15 out of 29 people believed to be connected with anti-Christian attacks were left on police wanted lists, and urged them to surrender.