Bomb suspect apologizes to Tommy

Bomb suspect apologizes to Tommy

JAKARTA (JP): Bomb suspect Elize Maria Tuwahatu apologized on
Wednesday to the youngest son of former president Soeharto,
Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, for dragging his name into her
case.

She also expressed forgiveness for the person who led police
to her. "I have forgiven the man who said Tommy gave me the
bombs," she said from a cell in the East Jakarta District Court,
where her case is being heard.

Elize was arrested in the parking lot of Taman Mini Indonesia
Indah on Jan. 19 this year in the possession of three bombs. She
told police she received the bombs from Tommy.

She later retracted her statement, saying she was given the
bombs by a man who resembled Tommy and claimed to be the former
president's son.

The arrest of Elize, who described herself as Tommy's
spiritual adviser, was made possible by a tip from psychic Agung
Yulianto, known as Ki Joko Bodo.

He told police Elize had approached him about planting the
bombs. According to Ki Joko Bodo, the bombs were meant to kill
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman and Minister of Industry and
Trade Luhut Panjaitan.

Tommy, who was convicted and sentenced to prison for his part
in a land scam, is at large.

Prosecutor Surung Aritonang told the court last week that
Elize had violated the 1951 Emergency Law, which outlaws the
possession of explosives. The violation carries a maximum penalty
of death.

The court was scheduled on Wednesday to hear the defense's
response to the indictment, but the session was adjourned for a
week because the head of the defense team was ill.

In the East Jakarta District Court, the trial of bombing
suspect Iswadi H. Jamil continued on Wednesday. The suspect is
being tried for his alleged role in last year's bombing of the
Jakarta Stock Exchange building, which claimed 10 lives.

The suspect is charged with providing information on where to
obtain trinitrotoluene (TNT) to a member of the Army's Strategic
Reserves Command (Kostrad), Second Corp. Ibrahim Hassan, and for
assembling the bombs.

The two men, among eight suspects in the bombing, are also
facing trial in the South Jakarta District Court for allegedly
planning the bombing.

During the hearing on Wednesday, Iswadi's lawyers filed an
objection to the prosecutor's indictment.

The defense lawyers, from the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human
Rights Association, asked why Iswadi was being tried in two
locations, the East Jakarta District Court and the South Jakarta
District Court.

Iswadi also read a statement during the session, saying it was
illogical to believe that he would have better access to
explosive devices than a military officer.

The defense lawyers also told the court their client was
tortured and forced to make statements by police investigators,
and was often not allowed to have a lawyer present during
questioning.

"The court should throw out the indictment and declare it
unlawful because the defendant's human rights were violated
during the investigation," defense lawyer Erick S. Paat said.
(bby)