Muchdi ignores second summons

JAKARTA: Former deputy intelligence chief Muchdi PR ignored on Wednesday a second summons for questioning in connection with the death of human rights campaigner Munir, citing a previous commitment in Papua.

"Last night, an intelligence official sent me an SMS message informing me that Pak Muchdi would be in West Irian Jaya for five days beginning today (Wednesday)," said Usman Hamid, a member of the government-sanctioned fact-finding team that is helping the police probe Munir's death.

Muchdi failed to appear for a scheduled meeting last week.

The team also is unlikely to be able to question former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) A.M. Hendropriyono on Thursday, Usman said after Hendropriyono's lawyer told the team his client had not finished with his out-of-town business.

Usman said former and active BIN officials were trying to delay as the fact-finding team's mandate would end on June 23. He suggested that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono intervene and force the intelligence officials to cooperate with the team. -- JP