Indonesian police fired warning shots into the air and clashed with supporters of Muslim preacher and terror suspect Abu Bakar Bashir in the eastern city of Makassar on Saturday, injuring dozens. A Reuters photographer saw dozens of police beat unarmed students with bamboo sticks while others fired a volley of shots into the air inside an Islamic university compound. Witnesses said the clashes erupted after some of the estimated 500 student protesters dragged a police officer inside the university compound. "The police got angry and fired some shots into the air before storming inside the compound," a resident who was at the scene told Reuters by telephone. Police were not immediately available for comment.
| Still busy thumping knobs on people's heads, are they? |
A local journalist, who also declined to be identified, said at least 60 students were hurt, including two who suffered gunshot wounds. Hundreds of supporters of Bashir, who is accused of leading the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah network, were outside the prison and many of them clashed with police before he was taken away. Dozens of his supporters were hurt in the ensuing melee.
| I know I should be saying "Oh, that's terrible! The poor students!" But somehow, all I can come up with are strong feelings of apathy. |
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