Man throws bombs at Sutiyoso's home

Man throws bombs at Sutiyoso's home

JAKARTA (JP): An unidentified man lobbed two Molotov cocktails
at the security post of the official residence of Governor
Sutiyoso in Menteng, Central Jakarta, late Monday night,
partially burning the brick structure.

As of late yesterday, police were still searching for the man,
believed to be in his 30s. Security guards had reportedly shoved
him shortly before the incident after he parked his Suzuki Escudo
vehicle on the sidewalk in front of the governor's house.

Central Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna believed
no political motive was involved and the man was merely
retaliating for the shoving match.

"Judging from the crime scene, the man did it probably because
he was so upset with the security guards who asked him to move
from the site.

"But the real motive can only be revealed later if the suspect
is already in our detention."

Sutiyoso claimed yesterday he was unaware of the attack,
saying none of the six on-duty security guards had reported the
incident to him.

"Come on... it is an ordinary case. Maybe it was done by a
drunk," he commented lightly.

Iman said the incident occurred at about 11 p.m. at the
residence at Jl. Taman Suropati 7 in the exclusive area which
also includes the official residences of several ambassadors.

The man had left after the parking dispute at the request of
three of the guards, two civilians and a military officer from
the cavalry unit, Iman said.

"Fifteen minutes later, he returned in the same car and was
observed stopped for a while near the residence of the Indian
ambassador, before throwing the Molotov cocktails at the post."

Iman said the devices were a glass liquor bottle and a plastic
mineral bottle, both filled with gasoline.

He said the glass bottle shattered shortly after it hit the
post and partly torched the tiny structure.

"Soon after that the guards heard a minor explosion and a fire
started in the security post."

The man sped off in the vehicle, but guards noted part of its
license plate number of B 2132.

"I just had a glimpse of the car. I was busy trying to put out
the fire," Rusyanto, one of the guards, told police.

Rusyanto and his five colleagues have been questioned by the
local police.

The governor's official residence is built on a 2,000-square-
meter plot.

Sutiyoso moved into the house in November, a month after he
became governor. (edt/ivy/ind)