Susilo demands poison lab test

Susilo demands poison lab test

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Suspicious of being poisoned just like human rights activist
Munir, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono sent a sample of the
sugar used in his tea to the National Police forensics laboratory
after deciding the tea tasted a little peculiar.

Susilo suspected that the sugar used in the tea contained
arsenic, a strong poison that was also thought in be in Vice
President Jusuf Kalla's noodles in December last year but which
turned out to be a false alarm.

Arsenic, a poisonous element that has the same appearance as
refined sugar, was not found in the sugar sample sent to the
forensics laboratory, as announced by National Police chief Gen.
Da'i Bachtiar on Monday.

Arsenic is commonly used as poison due to its "normal"
appearance and its fast effect. It does not alter the taste of
food or drink. Therefore, if it were added to a cup of tea, the
tea would taste no differently.

Deputy chief of detectives Insp. Gen. Dadang Garnida also
confirmed that the forensics laboratory had tested the sugar
sample and concluded that it contained no poison.

"It was just plain pure sugar," Dadang said.

According to Dadang, the sample was sent to the laboratory on
Friday, just after the President commented that his tea tasted
different.

The police, however, denied they had questioned a waiter who
served the President tea on Friday morning at the presidential
office.

There have been reports that the waiter was taken into custody
by the presidential guards (Paspampres) after Susilo.