Former top forestry official arrested
JAKARTA (JP): City Police arrested former secretary-general of the forestry ministry Soeripto on Tuesday for allegedly leaking state secrets.
Soeripto, dismissed by President Abdurrahman Wahid last month for reportedly holding a meeting to plot his downfall, was picked up by police mobile detectives (Resmob) at his residence in Cipete Selatan, South Jakarta, at 4 p.m.
The arrest came after a tip that three men arrested on Monday for illegal possession of weapons at a Central Jakarta hotel were Soeripto's men.
Soeripto admitted on Tuesday that he had booked the hotel room for his men, but said he knew nothing about the weapons.
"I reserved the room for them to observe the security situation in the capital, during the mass prayer and the House plenary session," Soeripto told reporters at the city police headquarters prior to his questioning.
He said he had been leading a foundation which was conducting studies on mass conflicts at the request of the Ministry of Defense. The security arrangements for Sunday's mass prayer and the House of Representatives plenary session that censured the President on Monday were used as examples.
The charge handed down to Soeripto, also a former official of the State Intelligence Coordinating Body (Bakin), carries a maximum jail sentence of seven years.
Police described the weapons seized in the Central Jakarta hotel on Monday as 10 steel rods with sharp, star-like figures on the ends.
Director General of Defense Strategy at the Ministry of Defense, Maj. Gen. Sudrajat, denied any link with Soeripto's project.
"The ministry has never been involved in such a project with Pak Soeripto," Sudrajat said.
Soeripto, a retired Army major general, had previously spoken with National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro on accusations made against him by the President.
During his brief tenure, Soeripto also provided evidence of corruption allegedly committed by timber tycoon Prajogo Pangestu, one of three businessmen who were once exempted from investigation by the Attorney General's Office.
State prosecutors are now handling the case but have yet to name Prajogo a suspect.
A source at the Attorney General's Office who requested anonymity told the Post that a travel ban had been slapped on Prajogo on Monday.
When asked if Prajogo had left the country, his lawyer Denny Kailimang said that his client would not escape the legal proceedings, as long as they were free from political motives.
"My client won't leave the country since he owns two valuable industries, namely olefin producer PT Chandra Asri Petrochemical Center and pulp industry PT Enim Tanjung Lestari," he said. (02/ylt/bby)