Police closing in on person linked to bombs

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police detectives have yet to apprehend the person who bought the three traveler's checks reportedly given by fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra to Elize, suspect in the recent TMII bomb plant, despite the fact that they know the person's whereabouts.

Both National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf and the City Police detectives' chief of general crimes, Comr. Tito Karnavian said that police had identified the person and knew where he or she was.

"It's a matter of time. The arrest must be legal... so give us time," Saleh Saaf told reporters at the National Police Headquarters on Tuesday.

Tito told The Jakarta Post by phone on Monday that the police expected to capture the person within 48 hours.

"We know who this person is. This person bought the traveler's checks, each worth Rp 25 million, and they somehow ended up in Elize's hands," Tito said.

Elize was arrested for the possession of three bombs at the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) recreation park, East Jakarta, on Jan. 19.

During police questioning, Elize said that Tommy, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, ordered her to bring the bombs, which were supposed to be detonated at the Attorney General's Office, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Directorate General of Taxation, all in south Jakarta.

According to Saleh, police were also questioning a witness identified as Lisa Leo Lopulissa, who is reportedly the daughter of Lt. Gen. (ret) Leo Lopulissa, former chief of the Army's Strategic Army Reserves Command (Kostrad).

Saleh declined to confirm if Lisa was the daughter of Leo.

Elize had said that she met with Tommy earlier this month on Jl. Cilacap in Central Jakarta, and that it was her friend Lisa (Leo Lopulissa) who drove her to the place. Elize said she could not drive.

A resident of Jl. Suwiryo 48, Elize said that Tommy took her around in a Kijang van for about 40 minutes. During the ride Tommy gave her the bombs and the traveler's checks, said Elize.

Elize's lawyer, Bugis denied any relationship between his client and Tommy, saying that Elize had not met Tommy since 1985.

"Whatever Bugis says, we have adequate evidence that the two were still meeting each other regularly until 1999. We also have a picture of Elize together with former president Soeharto on Tommy's birthday in April 1999," said Saleh. (ylt)