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 Police said that they asked the bank to block the account number so the money could not be withdrawn.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)