Three parties suspected of being involved in bloody ambush near Freeport?s project

Coordinating Minister of Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Friday it remained to be proved that army members had been involved in August bloody ambush nearby the copper and gold mine owned by PT Freeport Indonesia, Detik.com news website reported.

Aside from army members, followers of Free Papua Movement (OPM) and others were also suspected to have carried out fatal shootings on a site near Freeport?s Grasberg copper and gold mine in Papua?s Mimika regency, Susilo said.

Susilo declined to say whether people from overseas had been involved in the incident. He only said that the other party's involvement is just preliminary possibility, and not a final one.

Susilo was responding to the remarks of Brig Gen Raziman Tarigan, deputy chief of Papua police, that the soldiers from the army?s strategic command reserve (Kostrad) had carried out the bloody shootings. ?We know it (was Kostrad). The only people who pass along that section of road are the military and employees of PT Freeport Indonesia,? Raziman was quoted as saying this week.

Two Americans teachers and an Indonesian were killed in the assault.

Susilo said again that investigators of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from the United States could come into Indonesia and join the Indonesian police to examine the case.

Meanwhile, Trikora military commander Maj Gen Mahidin Simbolon said Raziman?s allegation was baseless.

?That accusation was baseless as there was no solid proof that pointed to the military?s involvement. The police should be more careful in making statements,? Mahidin told Petromindo.Com in Jayapura on Thursday.

Armed Forces (TNI) commander Gen Endriartono Sutarto had denied a report by Washington Post that he had ordered the bloody ambush.

Freeport Indonesia is owned by New Orleans-based mining giant FreeportMcMoRan. (*)