Grenade suspect's parents complain

JAKARTA (JP): Parents of the suspect in the grenade case filed a complaint to police through the Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) after ten people claiming to be police searched their house without a warrant, the foundation's chairman said.

Bambang Widjojanto, said Tuesday that about ten armed men searched the house of Umar -- the father of Abdul Aziz Umar Madhie and Najib, respectively the suspect and the witness in the controversial grenade case.

"Umar reported that at least ten men in civilian clothes but armed with rifles and claiming to be policemen entered his house at 1:00 a.m. on Jl. Cililitan III/49, Klender, East Jakarta, Tuesday without showing a search warrant," Bambang said.

The lawyer said the men insisted on meeting Najib and, when told Najib was not in, they then went to Najib's parents-in-law's home on Jl. Cililitan I/26, where they met only Faizah, Najib's wife, Bambang said.

"That night, the same men came into our house through the back door and immediately began searching the house after showing three pieces of paper which I did not get a chance to read," Bambang quoted Faizah as saying.

Najib had earlier gone to the foundation seeking legal aid because police had visited his house after arresting his brother Abdul for the illegal possession of a grenade. Najib asked the lawyers to accompany him during police interrogation last week.

Abdul, 31, was arrested at his own house in Cisarua, West Java, on Feb. 9 while the grenade was found that day at Najib's house. Najib said his brother had hidden the grenade in the house without his consent.

Abdul's wife Eka Sartika also asked for legal aid from the foundation. Eka told the foundation's lawyers that on the night of the raid police had beaten her husband in front of her and their children.

A team of seven lawyers, including Bambang and Adnan Buyung Nasution, are now representing Abdul Aziz. who has been detained by police since Feb. 9, and Najib.

"Najib is not running from the police. As long as police follow the legal procedures, we will bring Najib to them for further questioning," Bambang said.

The foundation has filed a complaint to the City Police Chief about the unlawful entries.

"The conduct of a house search should follow articles 104 and 125 of the Civic Codes. Such a raid by armed policemen without a proper search warrant scared the family," Bambang said.

An observer said it was everybody's right, including the suspects' family's, to file a complaint to the police.

"The family should have asked for the visitors' identification cards before letting them in, as anyone could claim to be a policeman. Rifles are not police's standard weapon," the observer said. (04)