Police seize firearms from Soeharto's family<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police on Monday seized 108 guns belonging to
\nformer president Soeharto and his family because their permits
\nhad expired.<\/p>\n
\"Fifty seven (of the seized guns) came from Soeharto's private
\ngun collection,\" National Police spokesman Sen. Supt. Timbul
\nSianturi said, adding that the confiscated weapons were of
\nvarious makes and types, including Walters and Colts.<\/p>\n
Timbul said the guns in Soeharto's collection had already had
\ntheir triggers removed and were for show only.<\/p>\n
\"So they can only be used to knock someone on the head,\" he
\nquipped.<\/p>\n
The remaining 51 guns were used for recreation and were
\nregistered to Soeharto's children, namely Bambang Trihatmodjo,
\nHutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra, Siti \"Tutut\" Hardijanti Indra
\nRukmana. Some were in the name of Tutut's husband, Indra Rukmana.<\/p>\n
\"These are sporting guns,\" Timbul remarked.<\/p>\n
Timbul said no force was needed to confiscate the guns.<\/p>\n
\"We found out that the permits had expired so we asked them to
\nhand over the guns to us, which they did,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The permits were said to have been expired for about a year.
\nThere was no explanation why the weapons were only confiscated
\nnow.<\/p>\n
National Police director of guns and explosive materials
\ncontrol Sen. Supt. J.A. Nardji said the guns could be returned to
\nSoeharto and his family if their permits were renewed.<\/p>\n
However, Nardji said there was really no need for the Soeharto
\nfamily to keep guns, other than as a collection, as they were
\nalready provided with personal guards.<\/p>\n
Timbul stressed that the seizure was part of a wider police
\nSapu Jaya Mandiri operation being conducted by police to sweep
\nfor guns and explosive materials, and not as a response to
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid's order last week to disarm
\nSoeharto's bodyguards.<\/p>\n
\"There is already a special team carrying out (the
\nPresident's) order,\" Timbul said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
On Friday, National Police chief Gen. Bimantoro said a team
\nconsisting of members from Bakin (State Intelligence Coordinating
\nBoard), Bais (the Indonesian Military's Strategic Intelligence
\nAgency) and the National Police had been set up to disarm
\nSoeharto's private bodyguards.<\/p>\n
However, Timbul said that there was no a report yet on its
\nprogress.<\/p>\n
Separately, Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said that there
\nwere no signs that the seized weapons were ones being used by
\nSoeharto's personal security guards.<\/p>\n
\"There is no indication that the arms were being used by
\nSoeharto's guards. The seized arms belonging to Soeharto are
\nunused because their permits have expired,\" he said.(jaw\/bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-seize-firearms-from-soehartos-family-1447893297",
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