Police summon Sidiq over Tommy claim

Police summon Sidiq over Tommy claim

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After successfully dragging former president Abdurrahman Wahid
and Yorrys Raweyai of Pemuda Pancasila into the periphery of his
legal troubles, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra has set his sights
on Abdullah Sidiq Muin, filing a lawsuit against the Islamic
school leader for alleged extortion of Rp 15 billion.

"Tommy filed a lawsuit (against Sidiq), and the Police have
summoned Abdullah Sidiq as a suspect for alleged extortion. We
will question Sidiq on Thursday," City Police Chief Insp. Gen.
Sofjan Jacoeb said Tuesday.

Along with Sidiq, police also summoned Nur Muhammad
Iskandar, the leader of an Islamic school in Tangerang as a
witness in the case.

Sidiq denied on Saturday that he had received money from
Tommy, but he admitted that he had signed a letter witnessing
that Tommy had given Rp 15 billion to a man named Raden Doddy
Sumadi.

Doddy had apparently been paid to help arrange the
controversial meetings between Tommy and then president Wahid,
the subject of which was reportedly negotiations for a
presidential pardon.

Sidiq, Wahid's spiritual adviser, also reportedly had a
meeting with Tommy and his sister, Siti Hardijanti "Tutut"
Rukmana, in November last year.

Observers said earlier that some cases released by Tommy's
lawyers, were believed to be aimed at distracting public
attention.

Jacoeb also confirmed that Adj.Comr. Hardiman, deputy chief of
the detention center who had allowed Tommy to sleep in his office
room for a few nights, was transfered on Monday to another post.

Wearing a blue prison outfit No. 903 and accompanied by his
lawyer Wimbiyono Senoaji, Tommy was questioned further by
investigators on Tuesday.

The current investigation centers around the murder of Supreme
Court Justice Syafiudin Kartasasmita. The final legal
preparations for a murder trial are expected to be completed by
Thursday.

Meanwhile Sidiq's lawyer, Yuristian, said his client had not
received a summons, but was ready to appear before police "to
reveal the truth".