May 22 Riot; Group Attempts to Kill National Figures Revealed

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Police have found another group, other than the two arrested earlier, that was allegedly ordered to stir a public riot on May 22 in Jakarta. The group consisted of 6 people and had a mission to shoot dead four national figures and the head of private pollster.

Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Mohammad Iqbal made the statement at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs building in Central Jakarta, Monday, May 27.

The revelation of the third group, he added, was the result of case developments by the investigation team specifically established by Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian to investigate violent acts during the rally that turned into a riot on May 22.

The six suspects, identified as HK, AZ, IR, TJ, AD, and AF, possessed illegal weapons and were arrested on separate days from May 21-24. HK, a resident of Cibinong, Bogor, acted as the leader and tasked to seek guns and executors. He received Rp150 million from someone and was arrested in Mega Cikini Hotel, Central Jakarta on May 21. 

Read: PDIP Activist Urges Police to Expose May 22 Riot Mastermind

AZ, a local from Ciputat, South Tangerang, acted as an executor and executor seeker. He was arrested on the same day as HK at Terminal 1C of Soekarno- Hatta Airport, Tangerang. 

The third suspect, IR, lived in South Sukabumi, Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta. He got Rp5 million to act as an executor and was arrested on Tuesday evening at Pos Peruri, security office, near his house.

Two of the suspects, TJ and AD, proved to have consumed illegal drugs. TJ served as an executor and got Rp55 million for his act. He was later arrested in Sentul, Bogor, while AD in the Swasembada area, North Jakarta, for selling homemade firearms to HK and got Rp26 million in return.

The sixth suspect was a woman, AF, who lived in Rajawali, Pancoran, South Jakarta.  Arrested on Friday, May 24, in Bank BRI, Central Jakarta, AF had a role as the seller of illegal weapons to HK and got Rp50 million. 

Read: Police Form Fact Finding Team over Teen Deaths on May 22 Rally

However, Iqbal stopped short of detailing the names of the national figures and the private institution head who were targeted by the assassin group. He only said one of the suspects had been spying on the chairman of the private pollster for days.

ANDITA RAHMA