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)