Indonesian police suspect separatists in mine bombings

News from International Herald Tribune

The Associated Press
Monday, September 15, 2008

JAKARTA, Indonesia: Separatist rebels are being investigated in a string of bombings targeting a U.S. mining giant in Indonesia’s restive eastern Papua province, police said Monday. No one was wounded in the blasts, which followed written demands that the company’s gold mine be shut.

Two attacks were carried out late last week on a road leading to the massive mine operated by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. and a third occurred late Sunday in an empty field near an international airport built by the New Orleans-based company.

“It is clear that an unidentified group wants to sabotage and terrorize vital (Freeport) installations in Papua,” deputy police chief Prasetyo, who like many Indonesians goes by a single name, told reporters in the port town of Timika. “But they failed.”

Forensic Team Probes Timika Blasts

The Jakarta Post
Sunday, September 14, 2008

Forensic Team Probes Timika Blasts

Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post, Timika

Five members of the Jakarta-based National Police Forensic
Laboratory scoured bomb-explosion sites Saturday on a highway
leading to PT Freeport Indonesia’s gold and copper concession in
the Mimika regency of Papua.

Accompanied by Papuan police, the forensic team combed the area
in search of remains from the mortar-like bombs that exploded
near a gas station at Mile 50 as well as under a bridge over the
Kabur river, at Mile 39.

Timika