Indonesia: Probe fines 'terrorist' death not accidental

Police claimed suspected terrorist died of accidental wound to his head, but human right commission rules different causeFeaturesarchive

An autopsy conducted by Indonesia's national human right commission ruled Monday that a suspected terrorist who died in the custody of the country's counter-terrorism squad suffered blunt trauma to his chest.

Police had claimed that Siyono -- many Indonesian's use just one name -- had died of an accidental wound to his head March 9 after a scuffle with Detachment 88 members.

On Monday, Commissioner Siane Indriani said that an autopsy by Muhammadiyah, the country's second largest Islamic organization, had revealed that Siyono had died after a blunt instrument was slammed into his chest cavity.

"That was the main cause of death," said Indriani according to detik.com, adding that the head wound had not been the cause.

She added that analysis had suggested that Siyono had put up no resistance, contradicting claims that he died in a fight with the squad.

Bruises on his body suggested that he had been subject to violence while "asleep or leaning against a wall," she said.

Siyono was arrested March 8 on suspicion of involvement with Jemaah Islamiyah arms factories at a mosque near his home in Klaten, Central Java.

On March 9, police traveled to his home and began to interrogate him as to where a storage bunker holding the weapons was.

While being transported he is reported to have got into a fight with Detachment 88 officers which resulted in his death.

Police later said that they had neglected to handcuff him, and escorted him with only two officers.

National Police spokesperson Brigadier Gen. Anton Charliyan has claimed that Siyono held an important position in Jemaah Islamiah, and that the movement was planning to build forces to establish an Islamic State in Indonesia.

"This movement wants to collect as many weapons as possible to build a strong army," Charliyan was quoted as saying.

He has said that police regretted his death because they had lost a key witness.

In January, Indonesia drew up plans for tougher anti-terrorism laws after a militant attack on the capital which left eight people -- including the four militants -- dead.

Daesh later claimed responsibility.

Last week, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said that Siyono's death should not affect the planned revisions, adding that a series of arrests of suspected terrorists since the end of last year had proved that the reinforcements needed to be made.

File photo (Junaidi Hanafiah - Anadolu Agency)