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

;JP;ANTARA; ANPAa..r.. 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