Nursalim's kidnappers

JAKARTA (JP): Two of the eight suspects who allegedly kidnapped business tycoon Sjamsul Nursalim, owner of Bank Dagang Negara Indonesia and chairman of the Gajah Tunggal business group, might not be tried in Indonesia, a high ranking officer said yesterday.

Commander of the National Police Detectives Corps, Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi, said the two, identified as Arifin and Ran Guan alias Benny, might be tried in Singapore and Malaysia.

He said that police investigation had proved the two men's involvement in the case.

"They were arrested in Singapore and Malaysia respectively. We have discussed with the authorities there the possibilities of bringing the two to court there," Nurfaizi said.

He did not say whether problems in immigration or extradition procedures had hindered the two from being tried here.

Police earlier admitted that they had encountered difficulties in extraditing one of the suspects in the kidnapping case who was arrested in Malaysia due to the lack of a treaty or statute between Indonesia and Malaysia.

Nurfaizi said besides Arifin and Benny, another six men -- identified only as Sd, S, Km, Sl, Ma and Es -- were separately arrested early last month for their involvement in the kidnapping.

"We are still working on the dossiers of the six suspects. As soon as we finish the dossiers, they will be tried here," he said.

Nursalim was kidnapped by the eight people on Sept. 2 as he was making his way home in the Permata Hijau elite housing complex in South Jakarta. He was kept hostage for three days. (cst)