Police issue conflicting statements over police HQ bombing
Police issue conflicting statements over police HQ bombing
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In an apparent attempt to elude unwanted public interest in the
Feb. 3 bomb blast in the National Police's Wisma Bhayangkari
building, the police issued on Wednesday a statement that negated
a previous one.
National Police deputy spokesman Sr. Comr. Didi Rochyadi
played down an earlier statement by fellow deputy spokesman, who
is one rank higher than him, Brig. Gen. Edward Aritonang.
Aritonang said on Monday that Adj. Comr. Anang Sumpena, the prime
suspect in the bomb attack, had stated before police
investigators that several military officers were aware of the
incident.
"He (Anang) did not mention any names. Who said that he
mentioned names ... Besides, we have yet to find any indication
of the involvement of other parties in the bombing," Didi told
reporters at the Jakarta Police Headquarters.
Aritonang told reporters on Monday that Anang did mention
several names, reportedly military officers, known only by their
initials -- ES and DS.
The one-star general said the two had knowledge of Anang's
activities.
"Why did he acknowledge his guilt so easily? His actions are
simply incongruous -- he blew up his own office," said Aritonang
earlier, expressing doubts about the motive stated by Anang in
his testimony to police investigators.
Following his arrest on Saturday in a rented room in Bukit
Duri, East Jakarta, Anang is reportedly to be discharged due to
unacceptable absenteeism justifying him being charged with
desertion. Earlier, the National Police College (PTIK) had also
expelled him for drug abuse.
Anang was captured thanks to fingerprints found on a piece of
shrapnel at the blast site.
Didi said that Anang had also been undergoing psychological
tests to ensure that he was in a fit mental state when he
underwent interrogation.
The arrest of Anang, who is a member of the police bomb squad,
is a slap in the face for the police, as the bomb squad is
supposed to protect the people rather than endangering them.
Asked whether Anang was involved in other bombings in the
city, Didi said the police had yet to find any evidence leading
to such an allegation.
Anang is now being held by the city police's internal affairs
department.
The bomb, which damaged Wisma Bhayangkari's lobby, claimed no
fatalities, but heightened security concerns in the city.