FBI may probe troops over Papua killings

The FBI will be allowed to question 15 Indonesian soldiers over the killing last year of two Americans in the remote province of Papua that strained ties between Washington and Jakarta, the army said on Monday.

Indonesian police have neither made any arrests nor named any suspects following the August 31, 2002, incident in which gunmen shot at a van carrying teachers from a school run by PT Freeport Indonesia, a unit of U.S.-based Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., which operates mines in the Papuan mountains.

The case has been dogged by accusations that troops might have been involved in the attack, in which an Indonesian was also killed.

Army chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu told reporters Indonesian investigators had grilled 15 of his men over the Papua killings some time ago and they would now be made available to the U.S. agents.

"It is allowed, as long as it's clear there's no spying," said the general, adding the FBI could go to the East Java military camp where the 15 troops now reside.

FBI teams have come to Indonesia three times over a case that has put under the spotlight sensitive relations between the Indonesian military and foreign facilities in the vast country. The latest group of four FBI agents arrived a week ago.

The FBI team could not be reached for comment.(*)