PBHI accuse police of framing suspects

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) has expressed its suspicion that the police have framed the suspects of the fatal bombing at the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) building using false evidence.

PBHI's vice chairman on legal aid and advocacy Johnson Panjaitan told a press briefing here on Monday that police had no evidence when arresting the suspects.

"The police arrested our client first and sought supporting evidence afterward. They did not have proof when they arrested him," Johnson said adding that PBHI had demanded their client, Tengku Ismuhadi, be released without condition.

The police searched Ismuhadi's house in Srengseng, South Jakarta on Sept. 25. "They found nothing. But on their second search on Sept. 29, the officers claimed to have found two bullets of .32 and .38 calibers of FN pistols in Ismuhadi's children's bedroom.

"It's very strange," Johnson said, adding that there had been irregularities in the police investigation, not to mention the fabricated evidence.

Ismuhadi is one of 22 people 'picked up' by the police from the Krung Motor Baru auto repair shop in Ciganjur, South Jakarta, 10 days after a huge bomb exploded at the JSX basement parking lot, killing at least 10 people. Dozens of people were injured and some 200 vehicles were damaged by the explosion.

The car repair shop is about 200 meters away from the residence of President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Police have also arrested four other people believed to be linked to the bombing.

Customers

Ismuhadi's cousin, Tengku Munirwansyah said some of the men arrested were just ordinary customers who came to the shop to have their cars repaired.

Ismuhadi, the owner of the workshop, and six other people who were arrested at the workshop, appointed PBHI lawyers as their legal representatives.

Johnson said the police were trying to hinder PBHI from doing their jobs as the suspects' lawyers.

"They deliberately lied to us when we needed to meet with Tengku Ismuhadi on Friday saying that he was undergoing a psychological check," Johnson said. When PBHI lawyers met with Ismuhadi on Saturday, he said there was no psychological check, said Johnson.

"The police also limited our visiting time to 30 minutes," he said, adding that the officers also 'spied on' them during the visit.

PBHI executive director Hendardi denied their clients had refused to meet with reporters as claimed by the police.

"Our clients have never refused to meet with reporters or their families. May be the police are afraid to present our clients because they (the officers) have tortured them," Hendardi said.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Nurfaizi earlier told reporters that the suspects had refused to meet with them.

Johnson also said the police had revised the warrant to arrest Ismuhadi after PBHI protested that the police had no warrant when arresting Ismuhadi and 21 other people at the repair station.

"Ismuhadi's family received the warrant on Sept. 30 by mail. They arranged the warrant in such a way that it looked like it was issued on Sept. 23, the day they made the arrest. But the postal stamp showed that it was mailed on Sept. 29," Johnson said.

Hendardi said PBHI was planning to meet with President Abdurrahman to complain about the police's unlawful actions.

"There is an indication that the case has been a vehicle for someone in the police to keep his position," Hendardi said without elaborating. (jaw)