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)