Tanjung denies role in kidnapping of activists

Tanjung denies role in kidnapping of activists

JAKARTA (JP): Gen. (ret.) Feisal Tanjung has denied any
involvement in a spate of abductions and torture of political
activists, which occurred when he was the Armed Forces (ABRI)
chief and were allegedly committed by members of the military.

Feisal, currently coordinating minister of political affairs
and security, told reporters after attending a plenary session at
the House of Representatives that he first learned about the
kidnappings only after he became a coordinating minister.

But Feisal, who was ABRI chief for the period 1993/1998, did
not clarify whether he meant his appointment to the position
during former president Soeharto's short-lived seventh
presidential term or his retention of the post under President
B.J. Habibie.

Feisal said that in his current capacity he had asked Minister
of Defense/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto to take action to
solve the case.

"I told him this should be handled immediately, because he is
the one with the authority now," Feisal was quoted by Suara
Pembaruan afternoon daily as saying.

The kidnappings could occur without knowledge of ABRI's top
brass because the military unit under investigation was "a
special unit that not everybody can enter".

"Kopassus (the Army's special force) is indeed under the
coordination of the ABRI chief, but there are areas that cannot
be entered," he said.

Separately, Wiranto reiterated that ABRI headquarters had
never given Kopassus special instructions to kidnap political
activists.

"All orders came directly from my subordinate," Wiranto said
as quoted by the former chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves
Command (Kostrad), Lt. Gen. (ret) Achmad Kemal Idris.

Kemal was apparently referring to former Kopassus chief Lt.
Gen. Prabowo Subianto.

Kemal, together with former Armed Forces chief of
sociopolitical affairs Lt. Gen. Harsudiyono Hartas and former
Jakarta governor Lt. Gen. (ret.) Ali Sadikin, met with Wiranto at
the Armed Forces headquarters on Jl. Merdeka Barat in Central
Jakarta.

Kemal said he urged Wiranto to set aside political aspects of
the investigation into the abduction, and concentrate on its
legalities.

"If Prabowo is guilty, he must be punished," he said.

Questioning of the 11 suspects in the kidnapping is expected
to be finished and dossiers completed today. Wiranto is also
expected to announce the establishment of the military honorary
council to try the suspects.

Though there has been no confirmation from ABRI, it is widely
speculated that the council will be chaired by Army chief Gen.
Subagyo Hadisiswoyo.

Members of the council will include secretary-general of the
defense ministry Lt. Gen. Soeyono, Armed Forces chief of General
Affairs Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razy, Armed Forces chief of
Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
Governor of the National Resilience Institute Lt. Gen. Agum
Gumelar, ABRI headquarters senior staff Lt. Gen. Arie J. Kumaat
and chief of the National Military Police corps Maj. Gen. Syamsu
Djalal.

Officers to testify before the honorary council reportedly
include Prabowo, chief of ABRI's Intelligence Agency Maj. Gen.
Zacky Anwar Makarim, former Kopassus chief Maj. Gen. Muchdi
Purwopranjono, former Jakarta military commander Maj. Gen.
Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, former Kostrad chief of staff Maj. Gen.
Kivlan Zen and Jakarta military command chief of staff. Brig.
Gen. Sudi Silalahi. (imn)