Ambassador Caday denies knowledge about bomber<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Philippine Ambassador Leonides T. Caday denied
\non Thursday saying he knew the people behind the devastating bomb
\nin front of his house on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He was quoted by the Embassy consulate general, Narciso T.
\nCastaneda, who briefed reporters at the Medistra hospital in
\nSouth Jakarta where the ambassador is still being treated for the
\ninjuries he suffered in Tuesday's blast.<\/p>\n
\"The ambassador himself said that he had no knowledge at all
\nand had made no comment to the press or to anyone regarding the
\nperpetrators (of the bombing) or if he knew who had caused this
\ntragedy,\" Castaneda said.<\/p>\n
Several local media quoted Reuters in their Wednesday issues
\nas saying that Philippine Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
\nhad talked with Caday and he had told her that he believed the
\nblast was personally aimed at him.<\/p>\n
The news agency also said Caday had told Arroyo he knew the
\nperpetrator but did not want to reveal it until he had
\ncorroborating evidence.<\/p>\n
But Castaneda said Caday strongly denied the report and said
\nthat Arroyo had not talked to him after the blast.<\/p>\n
\"I've received information from Manila that Vice President
\nArroyo categorically denies that she spoke to ambassador Caday,\"
\nCastaneda said.<\/p>\n
AFP on Thursday quoted a local police officer as saying that
\nCaday had told Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Nurfaizi from his
\nhospital bed a day after the blast that he believed the bombing
\nwas a personal revenge attack.<\/p>\n
He described the perpetrators as people \"with whom he (the
\nambassador) has a problem with in Mindanao\", an area in the
\nsouthern Philippines.<\/p>\n
\"The ambassador said that he felt the people had come from
\nMindanao to strike back at him,\" said the officer. \"He said the
\nproblem had nothing to do with politics or the unrest in the
\narea.\"<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on the report, outgoing Jakarta Police
\nspokesman Supt. Zainuri Lubis said, \"I cannot give any
\nconfirmation about the contents of the talks between the
\nambassador and Pak Nurfaizi.\"<\/p>\n
Dark<\/p>\n
So far, police are still in the dark about the motive and the
\nparty behind the powerful blast. Forensic experts from the
\nNational Police are still examining huge piles of debris,
\nincluding the remains of the ambassador's Mercedes Benz sedan,
\ncollected from the site.<\/p>\n
The police have already concluded, however, that the bomb was
\nleft in a Suzuki Katana jeep parked at the front gate of Caday's
\nhome. And it had the same explosive power as an unexploded bomb
\nfound in the Attorney General's Office early last month.<\/p>\n
Castaneda said he had been informed by a National Police
\nofficer that the United States government had offered and agreed
\nto send forensic experts to assist local police with their
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
\"We welcome any possible assistance from anywhere in the world
\nthat can lead to the successful apprehension of the perpetrators
\nof the bomb,\" Castaneda said.<\/p>\n
He said that he did not know the details of the assistance or
\nwhen the experts would arrive.<\/p>\n
\"We are leaving it to the Indonesian police,\" Castaneda said.<\/p>\n
No one at the National Police information unit could be
\nreached.<\/p>\n
The blast killed two people -- a security guard at Caday's
\nresidence and a female housekeeper from a neighboring house --
\nand injured 20 others, including the Manila envoy and his driver.<\/p>\n
The team of doctors at the Medistra hospital who are in charge
\nof Caday's treatment said his condition was improved and stable.<\/p>\n
\"In one or two days, the Ambassador will be moved from the ICU
\nto a regular ward,\" one of the doctors, Dr. Suwandi Wijaya, said.<\/p>\n
Dr. Nicholas Budi Parama, another member of the team, said it
\nwould take about six weeks for Caday to walk again.<\/p>\n
\"He suffered multiple fractures in both legs,\" he said, but
\ngave no more details.<\/p>\n
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesian Military chief of
\nstaff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto welcomed the news that international
\npolice were to cooperate in the search for the bombers.<\/p>\n
\"Cooperation (with other countries) will help speed up the
\ninvestigation,\" Tyasno said after attending a ceremony marking
\nthe hand over of the command of the 7th Wirabuana Regional
\nMilitary division from Maj. Gen. Slamet Kirbiantoro to Maj. Gen.
\nAhmad Yahya.<\/p>\n
Castaneda said he was confident the Indonesian authorities
\nwould be able to find the bombers.<\/p>\n
\"My government has the confidence ... The Indonesian police
\nare capable of solving this particular matter,\" Caday said.<\/p>\n
\"I think we should give the Indonesian authorities all the
\ntime they need because it is a very complex matter,\" Castaneda
\nsaid. (jaw\/asa\/27)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ambassador-caday-denies-knowledge-about-bomber-1447893297",
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