Soldiers to be tried for JSX bombing

JAKARTA (JP): A joint police-military team has completed its investigation of two soldiers allegedly involved in the September bomb blast at the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) building, a military police officer said on Wednesday.

"The investigators are completing the dossiers. Once completed, they will be handed over to the city military tribunal in East Jakarta," Col. Yoestiono, chief of the city military police, told reporters after escorting Jakarta Military Command chief of staff Brig. Gen. Lintang Waluyo on a visit to the military headquarters in South Jakarta.

The bomb blast occurred on Sept. 13, leaving at least 10 people dead and dozens of others injured.

Yoestiono said the joint team only investigated the two soldiers, Chief Sgt. Irwan and Chief Corp. Ibrahim, while 23 civilian suspects were being investigated by the police force.

City police headquarters has yet to complete the dossiers of the 23 civilians.

Yoestiono dismissed speculations that Sgt. Irwan escaped from the Kramatjati Police hospital last week.

"He never escaped the hospital. Both Irwan and Ibrahim were in their respective places during the investigation," he said.

He said Irwan was still at the city military command. Irwan was transferred over from the hospital to the city military police headquarters on Friday.

Yoestiono said that the two people, out of 39 suspects being detained at the city military police headquarters, occupied special cells in headquarters detention.

"It's not special treatment, we separated them from other inmates because they are still under investigation," he said.

Irwan was a member of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus), while Ibrahim was a member of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).

Separately, Lintang Waluyo said that the objective of his visit was not only to determine the status of the two suspects, but to inspect the headquarters facilities.

"We admit that the facilities are far from adequate," the one- star general said after the brief inspection, citing the poor condition of the beds as an example.

Also detained at the headquarters is Second Lt. Agus Isrok, the oldest son of former Army chief Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo. He is serving a four-year jail term for a drug case. (asa)