Suspect in Ramayana blast testify in court

Suspect in Ramayana blast testify in court

JAKARTA (JP): Two suspects in the Ramayana department store
blast on Jl. Sabang early this year testified against two
defendants at the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday,
saying their gang received Rp 40 million to blow up the store.

Satilan, one of the suspects, said the money was received by
his gang's leader, identified as Amir who is still at large, from
Rosalina Handayani, one of the defendants, two days after the
Jan. 2 blast.

Both Rosalina and Yan Pieter are being tried on charges of
masterminding the blast.

"Amir said the money was handed over by one of Rosalina's
employees," Satilan, a scavenger from Madura island, said, adding
that he received Rp 6.6 million from Amir for his role.

Satilan, who will be tried separately, said he and his friend
Mukri bought three homemade bombs for Rp 3 million in Madura last
December.

He said the money used to buy the bombs was initially to be in
the form of a check for Rp 3 million from Pieter. "But since the
check was dishonored, Amir gave us money of his own to buy the
bombs," said the elementary school dropout, who said he was
unable to read or write. Mukri is also still at large.

Satilan further said that during a discussion at Pieter's
house in Cipinang, East Jakarta, in December, Amir suggested
burning down the department store. "But I did not agree with the
idea and suggested that we blow up the building," he said.

He said one bomb exploded and damaged the building and the
windows of nearby shops, while the other two bombs did not
detonate.

Another suspect, Sundah, who also testified at the session,
said he learned of the planned blast from Amir after visiting
Rosalina's house on Jl. Hayam Wuruk, West Jakarta.

Sundah, who also will be tried separately, said Amir gave him
Rp 500,000 after the blast even though he did nothing to earn it.

"Maybe Amir didn't want me to talk about the blast," said the
construction worker, who also hails from Madura.

In response to the testimonies, Rosalina, president of private
firm PT Technodev, said on Tuesday she never asked Amir to blow
up the department store with the aim of frightening land owners
in the area.

"I also do not recognize the witnesses. I never gave him or
Amir any money," Rosalina said.

However, Pieter said the check he gave to Amir was to pay for
the installation of a fence on a plot of land on Jl. Sabang.

"It was dishonored because I canceled it," he said.

Prosecutor Tonny Sinnay earlier said in his indictment that
Rosalina was asked by a foundation owned by state Bank Dagang
Negara to handle the appropriation of the aforementioned plot of
land, which is situated just behind the bank.

Tonny said the foundation promised to pay Rosalina Rp 14
billion if she managed to appropriate the land to be used for the
expansion of the bank's head office.

Rosalina then asked Pieter, who is involved with a youth
organization specializing in land appropriation, for help, he
said.

Pieter apparently asked two military personnel to help blow up
the department store, but the request was turned down, Tonny
said.

He said Pieter then met Amir who accepted the offer to blow up
the building. "After the blast, the land owners were expected to
sell their land to the foundation," the indictment said.

Presiding judge Endang Sumarsih adjourned the trial until next
week when the court will hear testimonies from other witnesses.
(jun)