Zarima caught in Houston

JAKARTA (JP): The notorious Ecstasy-case fugitive, Zarima, who escaped in August, was nabbed by Jakarta police detectives in a supermarket in Houston, the United States, National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo announced yesterday.

Dibyo said the 24-year-old woman, who escaped during a police escort, was arrested about 2:30 a.m. Jakarta time (2:30 p.m. Houston time) while shopping at a supermarket in Houston, southeast Texas.

"We really hope that the suspect can be brought to Indonesia within the next few days because there are still some procedures our detectives have to do in the States as the arrest took place there," said the three-star general after inspecting the preparations for the coming anniversary of the elite Brimob police force.

Deputy Chief of the Jakarta Police, Brig. Gen. Gunawan, said the five detectives who arrested Zarima in Houston were led by secretary of the Jakarta CID Police, Lt. Col. Gories Mere.

According to Dibyo, the Jakarta police's operation to capture Zarima, who is charged for possessing 29,677 pills at her home in West Jakarta, was with the full assistance of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Based on the preliminary investigation, Zarima might have left Indonesia through the Batu Ampar ferry seaport in Batam Island, Riau, Dibyo said. It is less than half an hour to Singapore from the port.

National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Nurfaizi said the fugitive had used a fake passport to deceive immigration officials

Both Dibyo and Nurfaizi gave no further details on the case but a reliable source told The Jakarta Post that Zarima used her sister's passport, whose face is similar to hers.

"She arrived in Batam from Yogyakarta in early October shortly after she knew from newspapers reports that police had detected her hiding place in Yogyakarta," the source said.

Police learned Zarima was hiding somewhere in the United States from her telephone conversations with a relative in Indonesia, he said.

"The relative was apparently willing to work with the police while the telephone had already been bugged," he said.

Despite having a telephone number, the police did not act hastily and took the time to locate her exact location.

"They could only work out that Zarima was calling from her relative's in Houston after FBI officers, who were in Jakarta recently, helped them find the phone number," the source said.

Several FBI officers were in Jakarta to gather evidence on the missile attack on the U.S. embassy 10 years ago, after a suspect was arrested recently in the United States.

"The Jakarta police promised to help the FBI collect material evidence and, in return, they needed the FBI's support to watch Zarima before the Jakarta detectives arrived," he said.

According to Brig. Gen. Gunawan, Zarima tried to run away when the Jakarta police officers surrounded her.

"There was a chase before her arrest," Gunawan said.

Dibyo strongly believes Zarima can be brought to Jakarta for trial. Indonesia has no extradition treaty with the U.S.

However, a noted lawyer said yesterday Dibyo was too optimistic about bringing Zarima from the United States.

"There are a lot of legal procedures that need to be done to bring criminals out of the U.S. and I still have no idea about the legal reasons for the Jakarta police and FBI arresting Zarima there," said the lawyer, who refused to be named.

He said if Zarima hired a local lawyer the problem would become more serious and it would it will take time for the Jakarta police to bring Zarima back.

Zarima was caught by Tangerang detectives on Aug. 7 in possession of 29,677 pills -- worth at least Rp 1.78 billion (US$757,700) -- at her home in the Taman Alfa Indah housing complex in Joglo, West Jakarta.

While being escorted to the Jakarta police headquarters the next day, Zarima asked to take a bath at her mother's house which is in the same complex. She allegedly escaped through a second floor window.

After her escape, head of the Tangerang CID police, Capt. Ade Sutiana, who led the escort, was dismissed from his post and detained for alleged negligence. (bsr)

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