Police closing in on person linked to bombs

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)