11 Special Force troops face 15 to 26 months in jail

JAKARTA (JP): A military prosecutor demanded on Tuesday jail sentences of between 15 months and 26 months for 11 members of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) accused of abducting nine political activists.

Chief military prosecutor Col. Harom Wijaya demanded that the Jakarta military court sentence Maj. Bambang Kristiono, Capt. F.S. Multhazar, Capt. Yulius Selvanus and Capt. Untung Budi Harto to 26 months imprisonment. Harom also demanded 22-month jail sentences for Capt. Nugroho Sulistyo Budi, Capt. Dadang Hendra Yudha, Capt. Jaka Budi Utama and Capt. Fauka Noor Farid.

Harom also demanded that the court dismiss the soldiers from the Armed Forces (ABRI).

He also asked the court to sentence the remaining three defendants, Sgt. Maj. Sunaryo, Sgt. Maj. Sigit Sugianto and Sgt. Sukadi, to 15 months imprisonment.

Harom did not disclose whether he also demanded the dismissal of the three defendants from the Armed Forces.

"The 11 defendants are charged with deprivation of freedom under Article 333 of the Criminal Code," Harom told the court, which was presided over by Col. Susanto.

The offense carries a maximum penalty of eight years imprisonment.

The court, which has yet to rule whether the 11 defendants are guilty, is scheduled to resume the trial on March 16 to hear the defendants' plea.

Maj. Bambang said previously that he established a "Rose Team" within Kopassus in July 1997 to prevent "radical groups" from sabotaging the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly in March last year.

Bambang also admitted that he was involved in the abductions of Pius Lustrilanang, Desmon J. Mahesa, Haryanto Taslam, Feisol Reza, Raharjo Waluyo Djati, Aan Rusdianto, Nezar Patria, Mugianto and Andi Arief.

They were among 23 activists who were abducted by unidentified men beginning in April 1997.

The nine activists whose abductions Bambang admitted his involvement in resurfaced weeks after disappearing and spoke of torture at the hands of their kidnappers. One of the 23 abducted activists was found dead and the 13 other activists are still listed as missing. Some of the parents of the missing have attended the trial of the Kopassus soldiers.

Bambang said that he reported the information gathered from the activists to his superior, then group commander Col. Chairawan of Kopassus. At the time of the abductions, Kopassus was headed by then president Soeharto's son-in-law Maj. Gen. Prabowo Subianto.

Activists have demanded that Prabowo, last known to be in Jordan, be put on trial. He admitted before the Officer's Honor Council last August that he was involved in the abductions.

Military prosecutors say that the defendants acted on their own initiative. (byg)