Ambassador Caday denies knowledge about bomber

JAKARTA (JP): Philippine Ambassador Leonides T. Caday denied on Thursday saying he knew the people behind the devastating bomb in front of his house on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta.

He was quoted by the Embassy consulate general, Narciso T. Castaneda, who briefed reporters at the Medistra hospital in South Jakarta where the ambassador is still being treated for the injuries he suffered in Tuesday's blast.

"The ambassador himself said that he had no knowledge at all and had made no comment to the press or to anyone regarding the perpetrators (of the bombing) or if he knew who had caused this tragedy," Castaneda said.

Several local media quoted Reuters in their Wednesday issues as saying that Philippine Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had talked with Caday and he had told her that he believed the blast was personally aimed at him.

The news agency also said Caday had told Arroyo he knew the perpetrator but did not want to reveal it until he had corroborating evidence.

But Castaneda said Caday strongly denied the report and said that Arroyo had not talked to him after the blast.

"I've received information from Manila that Vice President Arroyo categorically denies that she spoke to ambassador Caday," Castaneda said.

AFP on Thursday quoted a local police officer as saying that Caday had told Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Nurfaizi from his hospital bed a day after the blast that he believed the bombing was a personal revenge attack.

He described the perpetrators as people "with whom he (the ambassador) has a problem with in Mindanao", an area in the southern Philippines.

"The ambassador said that he felt the people had come from Mindanao to strike back at him," said the officer. "He said the problem had nothing to do with politics or the unrest in the area."

When asked to comment on the report, outgoing Jakarta Police spokesman Supt. Zainuri Lubis said, "I cannot give any confirmation about the contents of the talks between the ambassador and Pak Nurfaizi."

Dark

So far, police are still in the dark about the motive and the party behind the powerful blast. Forensic experts from the National Police are still examining huge piles of debris, including the remains of the ambassador's Mercedes Benz sedan, collected from the site.

The police have already concluded, however, that the bomb was left in a Suzuki Katana jeep parked at the front gate of Caday's home. And it had the same explosive power as an unexploded bomb found in the Attorney General's Office early last month.

Castaneda said he had been informed by a National Police officer that the United States government had offered and agreed to send forensic experts to assist local police with their investigation.

"We welcome any possible assistance from anywhere in the world that can lead to the successful apprehension of the perpetrators of the bomb," Castaneda said.

He said that he did not know the details of the assistance or when the experts would arrive.

"We are leaving it to the Indonesian police," Castaneda said.

No one at the National Police information unit could be reached.

The blast killed two people -- a security guard at Caday's residence and a female housekeeper from a neighboring house -- and injured 20 others, including the Manila envoy and his driver.

The team of doctors at the Medistra hospital who are in charge of Caday's treatment said his condition was improved and stable.

"In one or two days, the Ambassador will be moved from the ICU to a regular ward," one of the doctors, Dr. Suwandi Wijaya, said.

Dr. Nicholas Budi Parama, another member of the team, said it would take about six weeks for Caday to walk again.

"He suffered multiple fractures in both legs," he said, but gave no more details.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesian Military chief of staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto welcomed the news that international police were to cooperate in the search for the bombers.

"Cooperation (with other countries) will help speed up the investigation," Tyasno said after attending a ceremony marking the hand over of the command of the 7th Wirabuana Regional Military division from Maj. Gen. Slamet Kirbiantoro to Maj. Gen. Ahmad Yahya.

Castaneda said he was confident the Indonesian authorities would be able to find the bombers.

"My government has the confidence ... The Indonesian police are capable of solving this particular matter," Caday said.

"I think we should give the Indonesian authorities all the time they need because it is a very complex matter," Castaneda said. (jaw/asa/27)