Indonesian security forces have named seven suspects in the killing of an American pilot and the burning of a Catholic mission aircraft in Papua, which has drawn condemnation from Church leaders and human rights groups alike.
The suspects are identified as armed separatists and as fugitives, I Gusti Gde Era Adhinata, head of law enforcement for the Cartenz Peace Operation 2026 Task Force, said at a press conference on July 8
"They were named after investigators reviewed witness statements, physical evidence, and a crime-scene examination in Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands province," he added.
Adhinata said they face charges of jointly carrying out the killing of pilot Nicholas F. Gosselin and endangering flight safety, offenses carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
"Investigators believe the armed group involved has around 15 members equipped with firearms and homemade weapons and are still tracing its network and the source of its weapons," he said.
The plane, owned by Associated Mission Aviation (AMA), an aviation company owned by Catholic dioceses in Papua, was shot at on July 2 while carrying seven civilian passengers, all of whom survived unharmed.
The attackers then set the aircraft on fire, killing Gosselin.
Sebby Sambom, a spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), an armed separatist group, said the flight had violated a ban the group had imposed on air travel within its self-declared operational area.
The group alleged the Indonesian military frequently uses civilian aircraft to move troops and supplies into conflict zones, and said it now regards any civilian plane entering those areas as a legitimate target.
He called Gosselin's killing a "message" to the US and Indonesian governments.
Bishop Yanuarius Theofilus Matopai You of Jayapura firmly rejected Sambom's claim, saying AMA has operated for decades solely to support connectivity in the region, chiefly transporting pastoral workers to remote areas.
"This aircraft is purely a social service from the Church. The funds came from the offerings of the faithful, collected so that we could purchase planes like this one," the bishop told UCA News, denying the plane had ever been used for security operations or to carry military personnel and ammunition.
AMA director Bob Kayadu said the attack's greatest cost was the loss of a vital transport lifeline for mission work, health care, and education.
The airline has suspended all flights across Papua, with a decision on resuming operations expected only after an internal meeting on July 11.
"In 67 years and 4 months of serving Papua, this burning of an aircraft and shooting of a pilot is the most tragic incident we have faced, and it has left us deeply wounded. We need time to heal," Kayadu said.
Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid described the case as extreme deterioration of civilian protection in Papua.
"There can be no justification for this reprehensible attack," Hamid said.
Hamid called for a prompt, thorough investigation into the case, with all perpetrators held accountable, and urged all parties to the Papua conflict to make clear that unlawful attacks on civilians are unacceptable.
He said survivors and victims' families had a right to know what happened, who was responsible, and what steps the government would take to deliver justice, stressing that only independent, impartial investigations could lead to credible trials.
He called on all parties, including the Indonesian military and armed groups, to uphold international law, insisting the right to life is non-negotiable.
Gosselin's killing is the latest in a series of attacks on foreign pilots in Papua's remote highlands, where small aircraft remain a lifeline for communities cut off from road access.
On Aug. 5, 2024, New Zealand pilot Glen Malcolm Conning was killed by an armed group shortly after landing in Mimika Regency, Central Papua.
Earlier, on Feb. 7, 2023, fellow New Zealander Phillip Mehrtens was taken hostage by TPNPB after landing in the remote Nduga region of Highland Papua.
He was held for more than 19 months before his release on Sept. 21, 2024.
Source: https://www.ucanews.com/news/indonesia-names-7-suspects-in-killing-of-american-pilot-in-papua/11420