Fire victims admit plotting to attack Tomy<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A community leader in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, testified on
\nMonday that an article in Tempo magazine allegedly linking Tomy
\nWinata to a fire that gutted the Tanah Abang textile market led
\nhim to plan an attack on the businessman.<\/p>\n
The deputy head of the Tanah Abang Betawi Society (IKBT), Roni
\nSyahrono, told the Central Jakarta District Court that he
\norganized a group of fire victims to attack the Artha Graha Group
\nowner and his office on Jl. Sudirman after reading the article in
\nthe March 3 edition of the weekly.<\/p>\n
\"I came to the conclusion that it was Tomy who set the fire in
\nthe market. I mobilized other community leaders in the
\nneighborhood to plan a retaliatory attack,\" he told a courtroom
\npacked with supporters from Tanah Abang.<\/p>\n
However, the attack never took place because IKBT leader M.
\nYusuf Muhi stepped in and called it off.<\/p>\n
\"He (Yusuf) told us that the Tempo article could be wrong,\"
\nRoni said.<\/p>\n
The article, titled Ada Tomy di Tenabang? (Is Tomy involved in
\nTenabang?), insinuated that Tomy had a hand in setting the
\ntextile market ablaze. It reported that Tomy proposed a Rp 53
\nbillion (US$6.24 million) renovation of the market three months
\nbefore the fire.<\/p>\n
Repair work on the market is expected to be completed by the
\nmiddle of December, at a cost of Rp 600 billion. City market
\noperator PD Pasar Jaya said earlier the renovated market would
\nhave 16 floors above ground and three below. The developer will
\nbe announced soon.<\/p>\n
Tempo chief editor Bambang Harymurti and reporters Ahmad
\nTaufik and T. Iskandar Ali have been charged under the Criminal
\nCode for publishing news that instigates unrest. If found guilty,
\nthey could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail.<\/p>\n
Yusuf, who took the witness stand after Roni, said attacking
\nTomy would only have caused more legal troubles.<\/p>\n
\"Tomy has thousands of supporters .... if we were persistent,
\nit might end up in a bloodshed. Someone would have had to serve
\njail term,\" he said.<\/p>\n
IKBT is known to provide security for traders in the market
\nand the surrounding area, including street vendors.<\/p>\n
Tanah Abang is notorious for its criminal activity. There are
\nreportedly five gangs working in the area and demanding money
\nfrom traders. Each gang controls a certain area of the market,
\nwith the gangs based on ethnic background.<\/p>\n
Tempo lawyer Trimoelja D. Soerjadi told reporters the two
\nwitnesses on Monday only delivered their personal views of the
\nTanah Abang fire and its aftermath.<\/p>\n
\"A witness should present facts, not of his or her personal
\nopinion about certain facts,\" he said, adding that the two
\nwitnesses failed to mention which part of the Tempo article
\nallegedly stated that Tomy masterminded the fire.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Andriani Nurdin adjourned the trial until Nov.
\n17, at which time the court will hear from additional witnesses.<\/p>",
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