Former VIPs' guards must be from TNI, Police

JAKARTA (JP): The protection of former presidents and vice presidents should be the charge of the National Police in cooperation with the Indonesian Military (TNI) to help avoid the possession of illegal guns among civilians, Army chief Gen. Tyasno Sudarto said.

"According to the law, former presidents and vice presidents have a right to have guards to protect them but they should be from the National Police and the Indonesian Military," he said in Karawang, West Java, on Monday.

It is not known just how many or if any private bodyguards are employed by Soeharto and his family

Tyasno's remarks came in response to President Abdurrahman Wahid's order to the National Police to disarm former president Soeharto's bodyguards.

"The Army is ready to help investigate the bombing and help the police arrest any serviceman involved in the incident," said Tyasno.

According to him, the president's order to disarm the private bodyguards protecting Soeharto and his children was understandable.

"Both the former president and his children have a right to hire civilians to reinforce their protection but private bodyguards should not necessarily be armed," he said.

Separately, chief of the Jakarta Garrison Brig. Gen. T.B. Hasanuddin, confirmed that 12 soldiers from the garrison have been assigned to protect the former president and his family since he stepped down in May 1998. However the 12 are not armed.

"The 12 servicemen have not been armed and their main task is not to serve as bodyguards but to help the president and his children escape if something untoward happens at their Jl. Cendana residence," he said.

Hasanuddin concurred and said the former president's private bodyguards should be disarmed if they possess weapons.

He also warned of strict action if military personnel who have deserted were among Soeharto or his family's bodyguards.

"Deserters must be put in jail without trial," he said.

Meanwhile, Rear Marshal Graito Usodo, spokesman for TNI, denied suggestions that servicemen were behind the series of recent bomb blasts, saying the military was open and would be cooperative to a thorough investigation into the incidents.

"Why should the military get involved in such brutal acts while at the same time working hard to repair its badly tarnished image? The military is open to a thorough investigation if it or its personnel were allegedly involved in the recent bomb blasts," he said.

Separately on Monday, Attorney General Marzuki Darusman expressed his support for the president's order to disarm Soeharto's personal bodyguards.

According to Marzuki, the order should also be applied to certain groups of people believed to be linked with the former president.

"The government has been informed that the groups have certain equipments that might cause harm to the public," he said but declined to mention if the groups had been deliberately armed by the former president.

Marzuki also said that the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Bakin) had acknowledged that there were certain groups recently mobilized to hamper the ongoing legal process of the former president's alleged graft case.

Separately, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dadang Garnida said police were yet to ascertain if any of Soeharto's civilian bodyguards were armed.

"We have to find out first ... because the armed bodyguards could be (military/police) personnel wearing civilian clothes," Dadang said.

Several armed men in civilian clothes were seen when Soeharto came to the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office for questioning last year.

"If the armed (bodyguards) are military or police personnel, it's okay," Dadang added. (rms/bby/jaw)