Prosecutor faces intimidation

Prosecutor faces intimidation

JAKARTA (JP): The head of South Jakarta prosecutor's office
Antasari Azhar is reported to have received threatening phone
calls last weekend and was followed by people driving a jeep.

The Attorney General's Office spokesman Muljohardjo said on
Monday that the first call was received by a member of Antasari's
staff on Friday, saying, "The judge has been killed, now that
leaves the attorney and the prosecutor."

"The callers also phoned Antasari's house in Tangerang with a
similar message," Muljohardjo told reporters, as quoted by
Antara.

Muljohardjo assumed that the callers referred to judge
Syafiuddin Kartasasmita who was shot dead last Thursday morning
while driving to work.

Syafiuddin headed the panel of judges last year that sentenced
to 18 months jail former president Soeharto's son Hutomo "Tommy"
Mandala Putra, who is still at large.

Antasari, meanwhile, should have executed the Supreme Court's
ruling to put Tommy to jail.

Muljohardjo added that the callers continued to phone
Antasari's house during the weekend, with messages like, "I know
the prosecutor's car and where he is now. Prepare the yellow
flags because we will pick up the victim soon."

Antasari, he said, reported the incident to Taman Puring
Police subprecinct in South Jakarta and also Serpong Police
subprecinct in Tangerang. He has now been provided with police
security. (hdn)