REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- National Police Chief Muhammad Tito Karnavian admitted there was a loophole in securing the armament at National Police's Mobile Brigade Command headquarters (Mako Brimob), Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java. The loop was used by terror inmates to snatch police's weaponry on Wednesday.
According to Tito, the five policemen killed in the riot were not part of a cracking team or a hitter. They were administration staffs who prepare files of terror suspects ahead of trial.
Administration staffs were prepared with individual gun but it was looted by inmates. The victims were killed at their office where seized weapons of the terror suspects were stored as evidences.
National Police Chief M Tito Karnavian holds a press conference after overseeing Mako Brimob, Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java, on Thursday (May 10).
Prisoners knew where officers kept their weapons as the terror suspects have to identifiy it. Those weapons were also seized by inmates during the riot.
"That is the loophole," Tito explained on Thursday (May 10) afternoon at Mako Brimob.
Before conducting further countermeasure operation, the police gave 24 hours until Thursday morning for terror convicts to surrender. Tito said it was in accordance with international standard.
"The most important target is to keep the hostage, Brigadier Iwan Sarjana, alive," Tito said referring to an incident in which nine police officers were taken hostages. Out of nine police officers who were taken hostages, five had fallen and four others were wounded.
After being given an ultimatum, of the total of 155 prisoners in Mako Brimob, Kelapa Dua, 145 then surrendered unconditionally before dawn on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, 10 other prisoners had still refused to surrender, so the police officers then raided the location where they had gathered.
The remaining 10 terror convicts surrendered following the use of gunfire, bombs, smoke grenades, and tear grenades. Thus, 155 terror convicts have surrendered to the Indonesian security forces.
One terror convict killed in the incident.