Fifth suspect in Jl. Sabang blast apprehended

JAKARTA (JP): Police have arrested a scavenger in connection with a bomb blast which damaged a vacant department store on Jl. H. Agus Salim in Central Jakarta early last month, raising the number of arrested suspects to five, an official said on Thursday.

Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said the scavenger, identified as Satilan, 33, was arrested in Semampir area, Surabaya, the capital of East Java late Wednesday.

"With his arrest, five other suspects remain at large," Noegroho said, adding that the remaining suspects had been identified.

Satilan has a police record at Bekasi police station. "In 1996 he was jailed for six months for robbery," Noegroho said.

Police earlier arrested four suspects -- Rosalina, 50, a director of a real estate agency; Pieter, 42, an alleged bomb maker and ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers Sundah and Sugiono, both 29.

Sugiono and Sundah were arrested last week in hideouts in Duren village at Bangkalan, Madura, while Rosalina and Pieter were arrested just two weeks after the bomb blast on Jan. 2.

Preliminary interrogations revealed that the most likely motive behind the powerful bomb blast -- which left a huge hole in the store and shattered windows of neighboring buildings -- was a criminal act.

"After questioning suspects, police cannot see any other possible motive except one that was purely criminal," the two- star general said.

Out of the five detainees, Noegroho identified Rosalina and Pieter as the "the brains" while the other three suspects carried out the operation.

Police also said they had not discounted the possible involvement of state-owned Bank Dagang Negara (BDN), as the bank planned to expand its operations on Jl. K. H. Agus Salim, also known as Jl. Sabang.

The plan, however, sparked a prolonged dispute between the land owners and Rosalina's real estate agency, believed to be acting for the bank.

"We will also make inquiries into representatives of other related institutions, including bank personnel," Noegroho said.

Rosalina has admitted to Police that she paid Rp 400 million to a man, identified as Amir, to solve the dispute over the land on which the Ramayana department store stands.

Amir is still at large.

During questioning, Satilan, a father of two, said he received Rp 6.6 million from Amir, who also introduced him to Rosalina.

Police, however, only retrieved Rp 400,000 from the alleged total payment. Satilan said he had spent the money on family needs.

"I also donated some money to an orphanage in Wonosari area." (emf)