Bomber suspect claims military officers were aware of plan

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police revealed on Monday that police officer Adj. Comr. Anang Sumpena, the prime suspect in the bomb attack on the Wisma Bhayangkari building at the National Police Headquarters' compound, claimed that a number of Indonesian military (TNI) officers were involved in the Feb. 3 blast.

"We are still examining his testimony. We will inform (the public) later. He did mention several names. But, we must respect their rights," National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Edward Aritonang told reporters.

Aritonang said Anang had confessed that the officers, two of whom were identified publicly by their initials as ES and DS, knew that he had assembled and planted the bomb at the Wisma Bhayangkari.

The one-star general also said that Anang had told police investigators that his motive in the bomb attack was revenge against the police who were in the process of reprimanding tardiness.

However, Anang said that the investigator's had quite a bit of doubt about his stated motive in the bombing.

"Why is it that he admitted his crime so easily? And also his action was quite abnormal ... I mean, he blew up his own office," Aritonang said.

For that reason, police conducted on Mondya a psychological test on Anang to see if he is sane and able to give reliable information necessary for the police investigation.

Before the arrest, police had linked the bomb attack to terrorist groups who oppose police efforts to combat terrorism -- including their current investigations into suspects in the Bali and Makassar bombings late last year.

The arrest of Anang, who is a member of the police bomb squad, actually embarrassed most police officers, despite the fact that he was caught quite quickly and efficiently.

Upon his arrest on Saturday in a rented room in Bukit Duri, East Jakarta, Anang was in the process of being fired from the police force for chronic tardiness. Previously, the National Police College (PTIK) had also expelled him for drug abuse.

Anang was captured after his fingerprint was found by police on a fragment of the bomb.

Aritonang said police were still tracking down a girl, named Linda, who has reportedly been living with Anang for some time.

"We still need to find out her motive, if any, behind the bombing," said Aritonang.

The bomb which ripped through the Wisma Bhayangkari's lobby, claimed no fatalities, but frayed the nerves of city residents.

Security concerns in Jakarta have reached new heights following another explosion injuring a farmer in Penggilingan, East Jakarta earlier this month, which police claimed was an "extra large firecracker". Those explosions are in addition to a number of bomb threats in the city each week.