Former Kabais Deems Acid Attack Case on Andrie Yunus as Mischief, Not Intelligence Operation
Soleman Ponto stated this while serving as a military law expert witness presented by the defendant’s legal counsel at the Military Court II-08 in Penggilingan, Cakung, East Jakarta, on Thursday (7/5/2026). The defendant’s legal counsel initially asked whether the actions carried out by the TNI members qualified as an intelligence operation.
“According to the expert, what the Defendant did, does it fall into the category of an intelligence operation or not? What the witness has known and seen so far,” said the legal counsel during the trial.
Ponto stated that the perpetrator’s actions do not qualify as an intelligence operation. He assessed it as mischief.
“So if you look at it, this is not an intelligence operation at all. If I were Kabais at that time, or now suppose I were their superior, seeing that would be mischief. We would see it as mischief,” said Ponto.
“That’s the mischief of people who are selected, educated, and trained. When they encounter a trigger, as mentioned earlier by Expert II, we don’t know what’s stirring in their hearts. But when they find a trigger, then ideas of mischief like this emerge,” he added.
He stated that intelligence operations do not leave traces. Ponto said that if it were an intelligence operation, this acid attack case would not have surfaced in public.
“I didn’t know at the time that there was any connection with Andrie, I didn’t know at all. But once I saw it, wow, why are these kids being naughty like this. That’s one. And second, if we look further at the journey so far, there’s always an attempt to link it as definitely an intelligence operation. Impossible,” said Ponto.
“And I explained in this trial. If an intelligence operation is truly carried out as I mentioned earlier, that’s why Andrie would evaporate if not sublimate. That’s it,” he added.
He mentioned that intelligence operation teams require six months of training. He said the purpose of intelligence operations is also related to the state.
“Because for us, an intelligence operation, as I repeat, leaves no traces. They are selected, trained. We train every six months. Why? Because the goal is strategic for the nation. It’s already written, the goal is strategic for the nation,” he explained.
He alluded to the involvement of officers and non-commissioned officers in the acid attack case on Andrie Yunus. Ponto said the defendant did not consider long-term risks and left traces in his actions.
“What’s the proof? He didn’t see the risks. Naughty people don’t see risks. Ah, that’s the proof. Didn’t see the risks. But if it was indeed planned, we wouldn’t be in this trial. No traces. Like that,” he added.