AG office questios author over book criticisms

AG office questios author over book criticisms

JAKARTA (JP): Author Wimanjaya Liotohe, a known government
critic, was questioned at the Attorney General's Office yesterday
over his book's criticism of the Soeharto administration.

Wimanjaya said a team of three, led by the chief of the center
for intelligence operations, Gatot Hendrarto, questioned him for
about nine hours.

The interrogation, which will resume today, revolved around
his two newly published books which are part of a five-part
series.

The first book voices his concern about a series of riots that
have rocked the country since July last year and the second
contains a list of alleged lies the New Order government has told
the public in the past three decades.

Wimanjaya said he told the investigators he planned to send
the books to the House of Representatives next week.

It was the second time Wimanjaya had been questioned since
April.

He said the questioning could lead to his arrest for various
charges of subversion, spreading hatred and defaming President
Soeharto.

The Attorney General's Office banned the first part of
Wimanjaya's book in 1994 but the author appealed to a higher
court. The Supreme Court has yet to rule on the ban of the other
four books. (amd)