Slow progress yields sketch in MPR/DPR bombing case
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Almost two weeks after the bombing at the People's Consultative Assembly/House of Representatives (MPR/DPR) compound in Senayan, Central Jakarta, police are likely to produce only a composite sketch.
A reliable source at the National Police revealed on Thursday that police would make a sketch of the man suspected of ordering the metal pipe used in the bombing on July 14 at the Nusantara IV building in the government compound.
The source said that the man was believed to be the same individual who had ordered metal pipes at a shop in Taman Sari, West Jakarta, before the April bombings at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and near the United Nations building on Jl. Wahid Hasyim.
The source said police investigators believed that the man could shed light on the bombing at the MPR/DPR compound, because of the similarity of the materials used in all three attacks.
"The composite sketch may be helpful in making progress in the latest bombing investigation," he said.
The source also said that a vendor at the compound, known only as K, witnessed an unidentified man squatting near the blast site several minutes before the explosion.
During questioning, K managed to identify the man among several photos showed by the investigators. The photos were of people who were at the scene after the blast.
Police later identified the man, a construction worker, but only released his initials Y.A. Y.A., as seen in the photo, has curly hair, a wide face and dark skin.
The City Police senior investigator in charge of the investigation confirmed that police had grilled Y.A., but found no indication that the man was linked to the bombing. As such, police released him after the interrogation.
"We have questioned more than 40 witnesses so far, but only five had pertinent information," said the investigator.
The five witnesses included a construction worker who had bathed only three meters from the blast, a transvestite who used to live near the blast site, a security guard and K, the vendor.
"But none of them were able to lead investigators to a suspect," said the source.
Despite the slight progress in the investigation, National Police Detective chief Insp. Gen. Erwin Mappaseng claimed on Friday that no progress had been made in the investigation.
"We are starting with all existing possibilities... We admit that the latest bombing will take more time rather than the earlier bombing cases," he said on Friday, adding that the investigation had hit several snags.
Erwin said police had not reached any conclusions in their analysis of the cone-shaped shrapnel and batteries found at the site of the explosion. The shrapnel are similar to those found at the crime scene at the airport and near the UN office.
"The cones are used in oil exploration. We are trying to find out who imported the material," he said.
The police had earlier claimed that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels were responsible for the bombs at the airport and near the UN office. They have not pointed the finger at any party for the explosion at the MPR/DPR compound.