Army chief vows to help police fight terrorism

Army chief vows to help police fight terrorism

JAKARTA (JP): Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto pledged
on Wednesday to assist the National Police in its fight against
terrorism, and said stern measures would be taken against
soldiers involved in such acts.

"As Army chief, I assure you the Army will do its utmost to
help the National Police fight terrorism in order to phase out
the public impression that we are protecting our members involved
in acts of terror and narcotics cases," he said after
accompanying Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri to the
headquarters of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) in Cijantung,
East Jakarta, on Wednesday.

Tyasno's remark came in the wake of the arrest of two soldiers
for their alleged involvement in a series of bomb blasts in the
city.

The two sergeants, two of 27 suspects arrested as of Sunday
night in connection with the bomb blasts, were identified as
Ibrahim from the Army's Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) and
Irwan from Kopassus.

Tyasno, accompanied by Kostrad chief Lt. Gen. Ryamizard
Ryacudu and Kopassus chief Maj. Gen. Amirul Isnaeni, said the
Indonesian Military (TNI) leadership had ordered Kostrad,
Kopassus and the TNI's Intelligence Board to coordinate with the
Jakarta Police to investigate the Sept. 13 bombing of the Jakarta
Stock Exchange (JSX) building which left 11 dead.

"Such coordination is needed because of the two servicemen's
alleged involvement in the incident," Tyasno said, adding that
the sternest possible punishment would be imposed on the two
soldiers if they were found guilty.

Tyasno also said so far no connection had been found between
the bombing and the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM),
referring to the fact that many of the suspects were Acehnese.

Ryamizard also said Kostrad would not interfere in the
police's investigation of the two soldiers.

"Let the police carry out an independent investigation into
the incident so that the military is not accused of protecting
the two servicemen and others who are allegedly involved," he
said, adding that he hoped the investigation would be thorough.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung
urged Kostrad and Kopassus to take stern action against soldiers
found to have been involved in the bombings.

He also said the two military units should publicly clarify
the two soldiers' alleged involvement in the series of bomb
blasts.

Akbar said the public would not blame the military as an
institution for the bombings if a clear explanation was given and
stern punishments imposed on guilty soldiers.

National Police chief Gen. Suryo Bimantoro said he had
instructed the Jakarta Police to set up a special team to
coordinate between the police and the Army units.

Suspects

Meanwhile, Bandung City Police chief Sr. Supt. Bambang Alex
Riatmodjo said on Wednesday three more suspects in the JSX
bombing had been arrested, bringing to 30 the number of those
arrested in connection to the case.

One of the suspects, identified as Ali, 40, was arrested on
Tuesday. West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Yun Mulyana told
journalists a flag of the Free Aceh Movement had been confiscated
from Ali.

While questioning Ali, police learned the identities and
whereabouts of two other people allegedly involved in the
bombing. Acting on this information, police raided a house on Jl.
Curie in Bandung and arrested two men, identified as Rusli and
Kardinan.

"According to Kardinan, before Ibrahim and Irwan were
apprehended he received a total of Rp 78 million from Ibrahim for
the purchase of guns and ammunition," Alex said.

"We seized two Australian-made long rifles ... from Kardinan.
The two guns have telescopes and silencers," Alex said. "A U.S.-
made Colt handgun along with 129 5.56 caliber bullets, a Korean-
made hand grenade and hundreds of thousands of rupiah in cash and
Australian dollars and bank account numbers also were confiscated
from him."

According to Alex, Ibrahim, who was arrested on Saturday,
admitted to having received 12 boxes of 5.56 caliber bullets long
before the JSX bombing occurred. He said each box contained 20
bullets.

"We assume that Ali has a direct link with Ibrahim, while
Kardinan and Rusli are the weapons suppliers."

Alex said two other suspects, identified as Saeful and
Zaenudin, were still at large.

In Yogyakarta, criminologist Mulyana W. Kusuma maintained that
well-organized groups within the Indonesian military were behind
the recent terror.

"The terror did not involve the military as an institution,
but it's not true that the military's involvement is merely the
intrigues of individuals," he said.

Mulyana said that as a result of the reform movement there
were disgruntled groups within TNI. "They lost the privileges
they used to enjoy in the past. This apparently has made them
frustrated and upset."

Later on Wednesday evening, an explosion occurred in the front
yard of the office of the Commission for Missing Persons and
Victims of Violence on Jl. Mendut in Central Jakarta.

There were no fatalities or damage but the thundering blast,
which occurred at around 8:50 p.m., shocked residents in the
area.

The head of the Central Jakarta Police's criminal
investigation division, Sr. Insp. Hendra Suhartiyono, said the
preliminary investigation showed the explosion likely was caused
by firecrackers.

Iwan Dachy, who lives next door to the office, said he heard a
motorcycle speed away shortly before the blast.

Police said after the blast they received a telephone call
from someone who said they represented "an anticommunist group"
that was responsible for the blast. (team)