Indonesia army: Elite unit carried out jail attack

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A recent deadly attack on a jail in Indonesia was carried out by soldiers from an elite army unit to avenge the murder of a fellow soldier, the military said Thursday.

A group of gunmen stormed the jail in Yogyakarta on March 23, executing four detainees accused of killing a member of the elite Kopassus unit.

The deputy chief of the army police, Brig. Gen. Unggul Yudhoyono, said 11 Kopassus soldiers admitted they took part in the attack.

Earlier, police said at least 17 people participated in the attack, in which they allegedly tortured several guards and forced them to open the detainees' jail cell.

"The motive of the attack that led to the killing of the four thugs was immediate revenge for the tragic, sadistic and brutal murder of Chief Sgt. Heru Santoso," Yudhoyono told a news conference. "It was a reactive action due to a strong feeling of unity and dignity of the corps."

Santoso reportedly was stabbed while trying to break up a fight at a cafe on March 19.

Witnesses said the four detainees were dragged from their cell and shot with automatic weapons. The gunmen then destroyed surveillance cameras and fled.

"The perpetrators say they are ready to take responsibility of their action whatever the consequence," Yudhoyono said.

Kopassus troops have been implicated in a range of crimes and human rights violations over the years. Officials say they have worked to address the problem after Washington lifted a decadelong ban on military assistance to the notoriously violent commando unit.

Last month, dozens of soldiers angry over the killing of a comrade by police burned down a police headquarters and four other stations in South Sumatra province.