Police question Tutut and Titiek on fugitive Tommy

JAKARTA (JP): The police questioned two daughters of former president Soeharto in connection with the case of their brother, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, who was still at large on Saturday night.

Tommy is a suspect who allegedly masterminded a series of bombings in the city and the murder of a Supreme Court Judge, Syafiuddin Kartasasmita last month.

Both of the daughters, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana -- known as Tutut, and Siti Hediati Harijadi Prabowo -- known as Titiek, went to Central Jakarta police station on Saturday morning as witnesses in the case of Hetty Siti Hartika, who is alleged to have helped Tommy in his criminal actions.

Hetty, a manager of Cemara Apartments in the Menteng area, is currently being detained at Central Jakarta police station for hiding the fugitive Tommy from the police and illegal possession of weapons. Cemara Apartments is reportedly owned by the Soeharto family.

Hetty is also alleged to have been involved in the murder of Justice Syafiuddin, and the bombing campaigns that rocked the city during the last few months.

Chief of Central Jakarta Police Mathius Salempang said that the questioning was focused on their relationship with Hetty.

Mathius quoted Titiek as saying that she (Titiek) had met Hetty six years ago and they had become good friends since then. Whenever Titiek needed somebody to accompany her, she only had to call Hetty.

"I knew her as a friend," Titiek, who wore a black jacket and skirt, told reporters, adding that Hetty was not her relative.

When asked about Hetty's involvement in Tommy's case, she said, "It is impossible that my brother has committed the criminal actions that have been cited by the police and the general public."

Unwell

Titiek asked the public not to be prejudiced against her youngest brother until he had clarified matters himself.

During the questioning, which took about three hours, Titiek answer all the scheduled 30 questions, while Tutut could only manage to answer eight, since she was reportedly unwell.

Tutut and Titiek were accompanied by their lawyers, Juan Felix Tampubolon, Nudirman Munir and Elza Syarif.

Nudirman Munir at first denied that Tutut knew Hetty.

However, when reporters told him about Titiek's statement that she and Tutut knew Hetty, he said that Tutut had known her for about three years but they had not had a close relationship.

During the questioning, about 50 people held a demonstration outside Central Jakarta police station.

Calling themselves the Youth Front, they blamed Tommy for his alleged actions, including the bombings and the murder of Judge Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, and asked the police to investigate the cases seriously.(04)