Quick end to kidnapping drama

Quick end to kidnapping drama

JAKARTA (JP): The 3.5-hour kidnapping drama of a nine-year-old
schoolgirl in South Jakarta ended last Friday with the girl's
parents agreeing to give up US$85,000 in ransom, though the money
has not been lost.

Nursiah, the girl's mother, told the Berita Yudha morning
daily over the weekend that she transferred the money to the BII
bank in Cawang, East Jakarta, on Friday at 2:15 p.m., as demanded
by the abductor. The abductor gave Nursiah his account number and
told her not to go to the police.

Ridha Firli Tendri, the abducted girl, was released soon after
the money was transferred. Eyewitnesses said they saw the girl
get out of a black Toyota Kijang van at around 4:30 p.m. on
Friday

Nursiah said she had reported to the police before
transferring the money. Police said that they asked the bank to
block the account number so the money could not be withdrawn.

Nursiah, a clerk at the North Jakarta District Court, said she
was called by someone she did not know while she was still in the
office on Friday at 12:30 p.m. "The caller asked me to transfer
the money to the bank," she said.

Quoting her daughter, Nursiah said that an unidentified man in
a black Toyota Kijang van had approached her daughter and asked
her to have lunch at McDonalds.

After the release the girl said she could not remember the man
nor the location of the McDonalds. However, the police are
believed to know had identify the abductor. (sur)