Minister accused of defamation

Minister accused of defamation

JAKARTA: An elected mayor of Padang in West Sumatra, Jasrial,
reported on Monday the Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno to
the National Police for alleged fraud, defamation, and unpleasant
conduct.

Lawyer Handra D. Hasan said in a statement on Monday that
Jasrial and his running mate Khairul Indra were elected mayor and
deputy mayor respectively by the Padang Municipal Legislature in
March 2003.

Later, Khairul was accused of presenting a fake high school
diploma, prompting local legislative members not to swear in
Jasrial and Khairul as mayor and vice mayor of Padang
respectively.

"In June (2003) the minister sent a letter stating that the
election of Jasrial and Khairul was valid and there should be no
reelection," said Handra.

However, legislators went ahead with a reelection in September
2003 and chose Fauzi Bahar and Jusman Kasim as the new mayor and
vice mayor respectively.

Despite his opposition to the reelection plan, Minister Hari
is now planning to swear in Fauzi and Yusman on Feb. 18.

"My client feels cheated by the minister. First the minister
opposed the reelection, but later he is willing to officiate
them," Handra added. -JP

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Scene-terrorism-GunGun
Police link Gun Gun with blast
JP/4/scene

Police link Gun Gun with blast

JAKARTA: Alleged terrorist Rusmawan 'Gun Gun' Gunawan, one of
six students deported from Pakistan in December, is suspected of
being involved in the JW Marriott Hotel bombing that killed 13
people on Aug. 5, 2003, a police officer says.

Brig. Gen. Pranowo, a director for antiterrorism of the
Detective and Criminal Unit of the National Police, however,
declined to reveal details of Gun Gun's involvement in the
terrorist attack.

He said police have until April to further investigate the
involvement of Gun Gun and his friends in a series of bomb
attacks in the country.

"We have four months from December 2003 to investigate them,"
Pranowo said.

Six Indonesian students, including Gun Gun, a younger brother
of Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) leader Riduan Isamuddin alias Hambali,
now in United States custody, were deported from Pakistan on Dec.
12, 2003 for overstaying.

Police, however, detained them when they arrived here and
declared them terrorist suspects on Dec. 18. --Antara