Student questioned over treason

JAKARTA (JP): National Police summoned a student activist on Monday as a witness in the case of three opposition figures charged with trying to topple President B.J. Habibie's government.

Sarbini an activist of Jakarta Student Senate Forum (FKSMJ) arrived at the headquarters at around 1 p.m., accompanied by lawyers Ori Rachman and Tubagus Haryo from the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation.

But Sarbini strongly believed that he would give no help to the police as he had no idea about his status in the case.

"I don't know anything about it and I don't even know any of the suspects mentioned in the summons," he said.

Sarbini was said to be a witness for politician Johny M. Hidayat, noted economist Sri Edi Swasono and chairman of the Indonesian University Alumnae (Iluni) Hariadi Dharmawan.

Police sources said they were preparing dossiers for the three to be submitted to the prosecutor's office as soon as possible.

Earlier in mid-November, the national police abruptly started to summons opposition figures for allegedly signing a strong anti-government declaration which was related to the mounting student protests.

At least 20 opposition figures -- all of them named as suspects -- face similar charges of allegedly violating Articles 107 and 110 on treason which carry maximum penalties of life imprisonment.

The suspects were picked up by police at different places and times beginning early Saturday evening, hours after the bloody "Black Friday" incident at Semanggi. (emf)