Ambassador Caday denies knowledge about bomber

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)