Slow progress yields sketch in MPR/DPR bombing case

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.