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)