Zarina expected to return to Jakarta today

JAKARTA (JP): After 100 days in hiding, Zarina, the Ecstasy- case escapee, has agreed to return to Jakarta from the United States, and is expected to arrive this morning.

The Jakarta CID Police chief, Col. Paimin, said yesterday the 24-year-old novice television series actress was scheduled to arrive at the Soekarno-Hatta International airport by national airline Garuda Indonesia from Los Angeles.

"She is being escorted by our detectives, her lawyer and some U.S. officers," Paimin said.

City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said earlier that Zarina preferred to be brought home for prosecution rather than be tried in Houston for overstaying her visa.

Hamami said the woman would be tried for trafficking 29,677 Ecstasy pills found by police in a box in her home in West Jakarta.

A telephone operator at Garuda's flight information department at the airport refused to say whether there was a passenger bearing the name of Zarina, or similar, on board the Garuda airlines flight from Los Angeles which is scheduled to arrive this morning.

But the operator confirmed that Zarina's lawyer, Amir Syamsuddin, and some Jakarta police detectives were on the passengers' list for Garuda flight 801.

"Amir Syamsuddin is listed here in a group of six other people while Jakarta police detective Lt. Col. Gories Mere is with a different group of four other people," the operator, who requested anonymity, told The Jakarta Post yesterday evening.

The six others listed in Syamsuddin's group are Mike Dubet, Thomas, Clark, Douglas Hanson, John and Christine, the staffer said.

The four others in Mere's group are Lt. Col. Bakat Purwanto, Maj. Carlo Tewu, Capt. Tomy Watulu and female First Sergeant Vivi Cangkung, the operator said.

When asked about Zarina, the operator said: "Sorry, that's all we have. The detailed information will be available only at 9 a.m. tomorrow."

The identities of the six other people in Syamsuddin's group are unknown. Although they are strongly believed to be the American officers, who will officially hand Zarina over to Indonesian authorities during the flight.

Zarina was arrested recently in Houston for an immigration violation.

A reliable source said that Zarina might be in the lawyer's group under a different name.

The woman has been on the police's most wanted list since her escape on Aug. 8, a day after she was arrested for possessing 29,677 Ecstasy pills.

Garuda flight 801 departed 21:30 p.m. on Saturday, Los Angeles time. It is scheduled to land here at 10:10 a.m. today, local time.

Before arriving in Jakarta, the plane will stop over in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Denpasar, Bali.

Many Jakarta-based reporters have been sent to Bali to anticipate any police moves to switch her route.

National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo flew to Bali yesterday afternoon, his adjutant said.

According to officer Paimin, Zarina will be taken by special police vehicle after she arrives at Jakarta's airport today.

Paimin guaranteed that Zarina would not be released on bail no matter what.

"There's absolutely no way for that," said Paimin, who played a major role in Zarina's re-arrest. (bsr)