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Military chief denies clash with police in Central Sulawesi

10 January 2006, JAKARTA - A high-ranking military chief denied that rival factions of the armed forces and police have clashed in the restive province of Central Sulawesi, a local media report said Tuesday. Major General Arief Budi Sampurna, chief of the Wirabuana Regional Military Command overseeing Sulawesi, denied the incident took place and said military and police were conducting joint patrols for the Muslim holy day of Idul Adha (Day of Sacrifice).

"The allegation is totally unfounded," Arief was quoted by the state-run news agency Antara as saying. "We are currently coordinating our joint security patrol before and during the Idul Adha festivities." Arief claimed the situation in Central Sulawesi, particularly Poso and Palu, where a bomb blast at a pork-selling market on New Year's Eve left at least seven dead, were relatively quiet ahead of Idul Adha festivities.

Meanwhile, Central Sulawesi Provincial Police Chief Brig. Gen. Oegroseno called the people who committed the Palu bombing and other acts of violence in the region as "opportunist terrorists" and not part of a broader, outside terrorist network. "I think they are not members of Dr. Azahari and Nordin M. Top's network because they have no interest in Central Sulawesi," Oegroseno was quoted by Antara as saying, referring to two of the most wanted terror suspects. Azahari was killed in apolice raid late last year.

The police chief also said he had mobilized two-thirds of all police personnel to public places, such as seaports, airports, land terminals, communications offices and places of worship, in Central Sulawesi during Idul Adha. The Palu bombing was the latest blast to rock the violence-plagued province, about 1,520 kilometers northeast of Jakarta, in recent months.