Witness fails to identify suspect

JAKARTA: A key witness in the bombing of the Philippine ambassador's residence in August 2000 failed to identify the main suspect Abdul Jabar as the perpetrator during a trial at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday.

Titin Supriyatin, a street sweeper on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta, was on duty in the morning of Aug. 1, 2000, when three men approached her and asked her to watch over their red Suzuki Carry minivan parked across the street in front of the ambassador's residence.

"I was standing in front of the General Elections Committee (KPU) office building when they came to me. One of them later walked down the street toward the Menteng area, while the other two left on a motorcycle. Minutes later, the car exploded," she said.

Prosecutor Suharto later asked Titin if one of the three was present in the courtroom. Titin first said no, but later she said the defendant "resembled one of them". Abdul Jabar was smiling when she made the deposition.

The bombing at the Philippine envoy's residence killed two housekeepers at the envoy's residence and injured then ambassador Leonides T. Caday and drivers Ebenbier Wonua and Sari Monang. Titin, who was 50 meters away from the scene, was also injured.

Presiding Judge Pramudana Kusumah adjourned the hearing on July 14 to hear witness Amrozi, the main suspect in the Bali bombing trial, who is also implicated in the case.-- JP