Bomb suspects in police custody

JAKARTA (JP): The three men arrested in an East Jakarta apartment last week on charges of making bombs and plotting a political maneuver have been transferred from the city's military command to police headquarters for further investigation.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday the suspects, who were arrested in Klender, were moved to Jakarta Police Headquarters on Sunday night.

Aritonang refused to name the three. He identified them only as students and used their initials: MY, 25, AR, 24, and NP, 28.

"We've also received some documents supporting the authorities' allegations," Aritonang, who refused to disclose the content of the documents but said that they included an Indonesian passport, said.

The three suspects were arrested in a raid launched by military personnel last Friday during which remote control devices, homemade bombs and chemical ingredients were confiscated.

Sucipto, the neighborhood chief who checked on the suspects before their apartment was raided, said he saw the personnel remove bags containing remote controls, chemical liquids and bombs.

But Aritonang said the police did not received the evidence in the way Sucipto described.

"There were no bombs or explosives in there."

He also refused to say whether the three were members of the banned youth organization Democratic People's Party (PRD) as earlier claimed by the military command's spokesman, Lt. Col. DJ. Nachrowi.

"We've just begun our investigation. I can't say whether they're PRD members," Aritonang said.

PRD was banned last year and its key leaders, mostly students, imprisoned on charges of undermining the government.

Nachrowi said separately yesterday his office had taken the three suspects' initial statements and examined the documents, which suggest they were affiliated with PRD. The papers also contain articles on communism, he added.

"Based on those documents, we are sure that they are PRD activists and we suspect that they also have certain connections with the alleged bombmaker who was arrested in Tanah Tinggi apartment (in January)."

On Jan. 18, the military arrested Agus Priyono at his rented room in an apartment block and seized books, documents, diskettes, dozens of unfinished handmade bombs and materials believed to be used to make bombs. (09/cst)