[BREAKING] Terrorists Among 200 Indonesians Who Escaped Prison
It seems like blackouts have a bigger impact on emotions and decisions than we all thought it did.
By Mei Mei Chu — 12 Jul 2013, 11:51 AM — Updated about 11 years ago
In Medan, Indonesia, 200 inmates created a riot, set fire to the prison and break out
Police officers and soldiers give orders to others as they are deployed outside Tanjung Gusta prison that was partially set ablaze by inmates during a prison riot in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Thursday, July 11, 2013. About 150 prisoners have reportedly escaped from the overcrowded prison in western Indonesia following a riot triggered by a power outage. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Image via ap.orgAbout 200 prisoners escaped from a maximum security prison in Indonesia's fourth-largest city, Medan, late on Thursday after a protest over a lack of water and electricity turned violent, a police spokesman said.
Inmates forced their way out from the prison while others set offices on fire and held about 15 officers captive inside the prison, prison directorate spokesman Akbar Hadi said. None of the hostages was still being held Friday morning.
ap.org
Witnesses said gunshots were heard from inside the prison, and television footage showed security forces carrying a white body bag into an ambulance from the burning prison.
ap.org
BeritaSatu TV station reported that the prisoners seized guns from the officers. Its reporter said gunshots were heard from inside the prison.
An AFP reporter at the scene said the building was still ablaze at 10pm (Malaysian time), hours after the fire started early in the afternoon and that the riots were continuing, with prisoners hurling bottles and setting new fires.
Mr Akbar Hadi Prabowo, the chief spokesman for Indonesia's directorate-general of corrections, told The Straits Times shortly after 10pm that the fire had been put out.
12 terrorist inmates escaped as well
Police officers guard outside Tanjung Gusta prison that was partially set ablaze by inmates during a prison riot in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Thursday, July 11, 2013. About 150 prisoners have reportedly escaped from the overcrowded prison in western Indonesia following a riot triggered by a power outage.(AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Image via ap.orgNational Police Spokesman Maj. Gen. Ronny Frengky Sompie, saying police were investigating media reports that 12 terrorist inmates were among those who escaped.
Those 15 are believed to have links to Toni Togar, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence in a separate prison for a series of church bombings in Sumatra in 2000, the Jakarta Post reported on Friday.
The prison riot was triggered by a blackout
The riot appeared to have been triggered by a power blackout that knocked out water pumps, leaving inmates without water since Thursday morning.
ap.org
"The prisoners were annoyed by a blackout and problems getting water, which they said happens often at the prison," Heru Prakoso, North Sumatra province police spokesman, told AFP.
"Chaos occurred because the water and electricity were off since 5 a.m., and by 5:30 p.m. the prisoners protested and broke through the main door," Amar said.
3 prison employees and 2 inmates was killed in the riot
A police officer and firefighters use riot shields to protect themselves from rocks hurled by inmates, as they try to extinguish fire blazing through Tanjung Gusta prison during a prison riot in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Thursday, July 11, 2013. About 150 prisoners have reportedly escaped from the overcrowded prison in western Indonesia following a riot triggered by a power outage. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Image via ap.orgAbout 200 prisoners escaped following the riot late Thursday in which three prison employees and two inmates were killed.
ap.org
He said the prison employees who died, including a woman, were trapped and killed in an office building that was burned by prisoners during late Thursday's riot.
mail.com
Thousands of police are now looking for the escaped inmates
Thousands of policemen and soldiers are deployed around Tanjung Gusta prison to blockade roads linking Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, to other provinces were blockaded while fire brigades were battling the fires.
ap.org
Vice Minister of justice Denny Indrayana, who is in Medan overseeing the operation, has requested evacuation of all inmates and appealed those remain escape to give themselves to the authorities.
ap.org
Officers deployed to hunt the escaped inmates have re-arrested 55 of them and still searching for remaining inmates who still at large, said local police chief in Lt. Col. Nico Afinta. Three of 22 convicted terrorists have been recaptured.
mail.com
The Medan prison was severely overcrowded with 2,4000 - 2,5600 prisoners
It holds about 2,400 prisoners but media reports say its normal capacity is 400.
The Medan prison held more than 2,500 inmates, the newspaper said, citing Justice Minister Denny Indrayana. That would put the prison population nearly 150 percent above its capacity of 1,054.
The facility holds nearly 2,600 prisoners while its normal capacity is 1,500, Hadi said.
ap.org