“We have yet to make certain the mastermind behind the shooting incidents at PT Freeport area because the investigation into the case is still underway,” Ekodanto said, adding that seven suspects, including one with ammunitions, had been arrested.
Besides trying to uncover the perpetrators of the shooting incidents, Ekodanto said the police continued to guard PT Freeport vehicles traveling to and fro from Timika to Tembagapura.
He said traffic line between the two areas was still unsafe because although security posts had been set up along the road from Timika to Tembagapura, the shooting incidents still frequently happened.
On July 11, 2009, an Australian working for PT Freeport was shot dead by unknown attackers in the restive Papua province.
The Australian victim was identified as mining technician Drew Grant, who was shot in the neck as he was traveling in a car with five other workers on the road between Tembagapura and Timika.
Police said the attack occurred in Freeport`s vast concession area, which includes the massive Grasberg gold and copper mine.
The latest incident happened on September 16, 2009 when an unknown armed group shot and wounded an army officer traveling on a Ford car at the Freeport area in Timika.
The incident occurred at around 11.10am local time on Wednesday while the chief of staff of the infantry brigade of Ima Jaya Keramo 20, Lt Col Viktor Deni, two adjutants and a driver were on the way from Timika to Kali Kopi, Kampung Nayaro, carrying food supply for his men assigned in the area.
Terror actions like shootings on Freeport cars and military or police members still continued to occur in the gold and copper company mining area, despite increased security measures including the fielding of 1,320 joint military and police forces in the area.