Bombmakers will not get off lightly, Sjafrie warns

Bombmakers will not get off lightly, Sjafrie warns

JAKARTA (JP): City military commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie
Sjamsoeddin said yesterday that suspects in Sunday's bomb blast
in Tanah Tinggi could face the death penalty or life in prison
for illegally possessing, producing and using explosives.

The two-star general said a suspect, Agus Priyono -- and two
accomplices who are still at large -- violated the 1951 Emergency
Law No. 12 on the illegal possession, production and use of guns,
ammunition or explosives.

"Their activities were, of course, against the law. They have
been violating the law since they illegally purchased the
materials to make the explosives."

Sjafrie also lambasted the suspects for ignoring neighborhood
regulations.

"They failed to meet the prerequisite -- as newcomers -- to
register themselves with the local neighborhood chief. They even
refused to show their citizenship cards to the chief," he said.

Agus was apprehended and handed over to police by fellow
residents in the cheap, rented apartment in Central Jakarta after
the explosion on the fifth floor of the complex.

Police claim that Agus and two other men -- reportedly
identified as Prayogo and David, alias Daniel -- apparently tried
to make dozens of bombs in the room and planned to plant them at
certain places in the city.

The explosion badly damaged the ceiling of Agus' unit and
caused damaged to the unit below. Agus and his two friends were
wounded in the explosion.

On Wednesday, city police chief Hamami Nata announced that
Agus had been formally named as a suspect in the case.

"He has been detained here since Tuesday afternoon. We have
taken over the case from the Central Jakarta Police," he said.

Hamami promised to solve the Tanah Tinggi investigation, chase
down the other two suspects and expose details of their
activities.

"Just pray for us, so that we can catch them quickly," was all
he would say.

Shortly after Agus' arrest, security authorities hastily
identified the suspects, who are in their 30s, as having links
with the outlawed Democratic People's Party (PRD).

The following day, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
reportedly ordered his personnel to arrest the two fugitives.

Sjafrie said his office would send pictures of the two men to
the media.

Appreciation

"We want their pictures to be printed in newspapers so that
the public can identify and help us catch them."

As a sign of appreciation to those who helped apprehend Agus,
the military command's chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Sudi Silalahi,
yesterday handed over certificates of appreciation to a security
officer, First Sgt. Suhendar; chief of the neighborhood unit,
Muchlis; and chief of the local community unit, Ujang.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang refused to comment
yesterday on whether the explosion indicated police intelligence
officers had failed to do their job properly.

"Let's not lay the blame on any party. We'd just better take
more care next time so that nothing like this incident could ever
happen again."

He said the police were now examining all the documents,
diskettes and books found at the scene.

"We're also seeking details about the background of Agus, his
two escapee friends, their activities and a possible
network."

Aritonang said that so far the authority considered the
suspects to be amateurs who tried to build homemade bombs, which
were not considered dangerous.

"But, we never underestimated them because they could have
done it (finished the bombs) and created chaos everywhere," he
said. (cst/jun)