Politician's son escapes from kidnappers

Politician's son escapes from kidnappers

Evi Mariani, Jakarta

The son of Tri Yulianto -- a member of the Jakarta campaign team
of presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and
legislator-elect of the Democratic Party -- was kidnapped by
several men and women on Tuesday afternoon.

The kidnappers called Tri five times on Wednesday on his home
line and mobile phone, demanding that he resign from the campaign
team if he wanted to see his son again. Tri also said that the
kidnappers did not ask for a ransom.

However, Tri's sister-in-law, Besti B.M., told reporters that
the kidnappers asked for Rp 300 million (US$31,915) in ransom.

The case is being investigated by the Jakarta Police.

Tri's son, 15-year-old Faisal Akbar, was walking on Jl.
Pemuda, in front of Arion Plaza, East Jakarta, on Tuesday at
around 1 p.m. when suddenly a blue Toyota Kijang minivan
approached him. Several men and women forced him to get into the
van.

Tri told reporters on Thursday that one of the kidnappers
pointed something from inside his jacket and his son thought it
was a pistol.

The kidnappers told Faisal inside the car that they were
members of the Democratic Party. Later, they gave Faisal a drink
that made him lose consciousness.

When Faisal regained consciousness later in the night, he was
already at a guest house in Cisarua, Bogor regency. The
kidnappers gave him another drink and Faisal fell unconscious
again.

The boy woke up on Wednesday morning and found he was being
guarded by three of the kidnappers. Later, two of them also left
him alone with only one person watching over him.

The guard, identified only as Tono, then asked Faisal to join
him to play billiards at a billiard hall near the guest house.
After a while, Tono said he needed to go to the men's room, and
strangely, left Faisal alone.

Faisal immediately grabbed the chance and escaped. He took a
public minivan heading to Baranangsiang bus terminal in Bogor.
From the terminal, he took a taxi back home to Duren Sawit, East
Jakarta, and arrived safely on Wednesday at around 8 p.m.

The family immediately contacted the Jakarta Police
detectives, and with Faisal's guidance they found the guest house
in Cisarua later that night. All the kidnappers had gone but the
blue Toyota Kijang was still parked outside the guest house.

Tri, his wife Susi Rahma and Faisal were questioned by the
police on Thursday.