Officer testifies in police HQ bombing

Officer testifies in police HQ bombing

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A police investigator testified on Tuesday that the fingerprints
of former police bomb squad member Adj. Comr. Anang Sumpena were
found on the cellophane tape used to assemble the bomb that
exploded near the National Police Headquarters last February.

Janer Pasaribu, testifying at the South Jakarta District
Court, said Anang had a motive for the bombing.

"We concluded that the defendant was the perpetrator of the
bombing. He has the skills to assemble homemade bombs and had a
motive, after being dismissed from the police for violating
internal regulations," Janer told the court.

He said Anang had taken a course on explosive materials and
bombs in the United Kingdom.

If found guilty of storing, transporting and using explosives,
the defendant could face the death penalty.

The bomb, which exploded in front of Wisma Bhayangkari near
the police headquarters, consisted of potassium, aluminum powder
and shrapnel.

The bomb exploded at about 7:20 a.m. on Feb. 3. No one was
injured in the blast, but a parked car was damaged.

Presiding Judge Syamsul Ali adjourned the trial until next
week.