Police continue probe on Soeripto

Police continue probe on Soeripto

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police detectives are focusing their
investigation into former secretary-general of the forestry
ministry Soeripto on reports that he leaked state secrets to
Japan and Australia.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi said on
Thursday that while continuing the questioning of Soeripto, the
detectives would also be working with the National Police, the
Japanese Embassy and an Australian foundation on the matter of
the documents.

"We need expert advice and proof to find out if the documents
Soeripto had reportedly provided the two countries with, could be
classified as state secrets or just vital information," Didi told
reporters at National Police Headquarters.

Jakarta Police detectives are scheduled to question Soeripto
on Monday to verify the reports.

"We will also be working in collaboration with the related
embassies. Soeripto will now also be required to report to the
Jakarta Police, not once, but twice a week, from Monday onwards."

Soeripto was arrested on May 1 following the arrest of three
of his men at a hotel in Central Jakarta. Police, however, said
there was no need to detain Soeripto provided that he followed
certain conditions.

He said he was leading a research foundation which focused on
research into Indonesian defense and strategy and the "research
work was often used by the National Resilience Institute
(Lemhannas)."

Soeripto added that his work focused mainly on domestic mass
conflict, particularly those driven by economic instability,
political conditions and relationships shared between civilians
and the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Backing Soeripto's statements, the former defense minister who
is also a former Lemhannas deputy governor, Juwono Sudarsono, had
said that he had benefited from information supplied by
Soeripto's foundation, which Juwono said was about facts on
defense. (ylt)