Police meet Hendropriyono on Munir case<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Police investigators have quietly questioned former National
\nIntelligence Agency (BIN) chief A.M. Hendropriyono as a witness
\nin connection with the poisoning of rights activist Munir.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar acknowledged on
\nFriday that there was indeed a meeting, but did not know when and
\nwhere it took place, saying he had not received the full report
\nfrom the investigators.<\/p>\n
\"I've received a report that he (Hendropriyono) has been
\nquestioned. More details about the questioning will be reported
\nto me soon,\" Da'i said after Friday prayers.<\/p>\n
Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Zainuri Lubis said the meeting
\nbetween Hendropriyono and the police team was held on June 11.<\/p>\n
The questioning came as the government-sanctioned fact-finding
\nteam to assist the police was frustrated by a lack of cooperation
\nby Hendropriyono, despite its mandate from the President.<\/p>\n
Hendropriyono, as well as other active and former BIN
\nofficials, have ignored the team's summonses, saying he would
\nprefer a private meeting with the police or House of
\nRepresentatives legislators. He invited the team members on
\nTuesday, instead, but they refused.<\/p>\n
Thursday was the deadline for Hendropriyono, who headed BIN
\nwhen Munir died, to fulfill the summons. The team said it would
\nreport Hendropriyono's failure to turn up for questioning in its
\nfiles to be submitted to the President before its mandate is up
\non June 23.<\/p>\n
The team will also detail in its report, the problems faced
\nwhile trying to access documents from BIN, despite being assured
\nof such access by current BIN Chief Syamsir Siregar.<\/p>\n
The team is seeking to clarify seven documents, including
\na list of BIN employees and agents, reports on BIN's weaponry and
\nBIN's storage facility for weapons.<\/p>\n
A team member, Usman Hamid, said it was good that
\nHendropriyono spoke to the police, but he still felt it
\nirresponsible for him to ignore the team's summonses.<\/p>\n
\"It is good, anyway, to know that Hendropriyono has met the
\npolice team and we (the fact-finding team and the police team)
\nwill share information about it,\" Usman told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"I, however, view Hendropriyono's visit to the police
\nheadquarters as a likely effort to evade us.\"<\/p>\n
Other BIN figures, former deputy chief Muchdi PR and Nurhadi
\nDjazuli have also voluntarily spoken to the police, but refused
\nto face the fact-finding team.<\/p>\n
The team was given a mandate to question persons in order to
\ncollect evidence related to the untimely death of Munir aboard a
\nGaruda flight. An autopsy found excessive amounts of arsenic in
\nhis body.<\/p>\n
Separately, Munir's wife Suciwati said the case had drawn
\ninternational attention, therefore she suggested that the
\nPresident and security authorities prove their commitment in
\nfinding the perpetrators behind the poisoning of Munir and the
\nmotives behind it.<\/p>\n
Suciwati recently arrived back in the country after visits to
\nthe United States and Austria as part of her campaign to win
\ninternational support for a thorough investigation into the case.<\/p>\n
Police have named three Garuda employees, including pilot
\nPollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, in the case. Prosecutors are now
\npreparing the indictment against Pollycarpus.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-meet-hendropriyono-on-munir-case-1447893297",
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