Indonesian police could use study in mud volcano investigation

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

JAKARTA (AFP) — Indonesian police are considering using a new study which blames a "mud volcano" on bungled gas drilling as evidence in a criminal investigation into the disaster, a spokesman said Thursday.

A study by foreign scientists released this week found the mud volcano in East Java province, which started flowing in 2006, was caused by drilling by oil and gas firm Lapindo Brantas, not an earthquake as argued by the company.

"We have not yet obtained a copy of the report, but certainly, we will study the report and see whether it can support the investigation we are conducting into this case," East Java Police spokeswoman Puji Astuti told AFP.

The mudflow in Sidoarjo district began spewing in May 2006, swamping villages with as much as 53 Olympic...