[Kabar-indonesia] TNI won't name arms suspects

[Joyo at aol.com]

The Jakarta Post 
Saturday, September 2, 2006

TNI won't name arms suspects

Ary Hermawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Hendardji Soepandji said Friday he would not 
give lawmakers the names of people probed in connection with an illegal arms 
stash.

"We will not reveal their names. I will protect the witnesses," he told 
reporters after a ceremony honoring the transfer of the position of Army Special 
Forces commander from Maj. Gen. Syaiful Rizal to Maj. Gen. Rashid Qurnuen 
Aquary, in Cijantung, East Jakarta.

The House of Representatives' Commission I on defense and foreign affairs is 
scheduled to meet with Hendardji, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono and 
Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Air Chief Marshall Djoko Suyanto on Sept. 8.

Hendardji said he would provide all the information gathered in the 
investigation, however, and try to answer all the questions posed by legislators.

A number of legislators have called for an official report from the military 
about the probe into the case of the arms stash found at the house of the late 
Brig. Gen. Koesmayadi.

They have threatened to launch a House inquiry into the scandal, should the 
report fail to reflect a thorough and transparent investigation.

The military announced its findings on Aug. 9, saying 11 people, including 
Koesmayadi and his son-in-law, were possible suspects.

Army chief Gen. Djoko Santoso similarly refused to divulge the names of the 
remaining nine possible suspects. The total of eleven possible suspects 
consists of eight servicemen and three civilians. They were among 129 people 
questioned about the stash.

TNI commander Air Chief Marshall Djoko Suyanto reported the results of the 
investigation to Commission I in an informal meeting in Cilangkap on Aug. 14.

Some legislators criticized the informal meeting, saying it did not involve 
all commission members.

Commission members I Dedy Djamaludin Malik and Ade Daud Nasution said the 
military must clearly inform the public about those involved in the case and the 
motives behind the illegal stash.

Dedy and Ade accused the military's investigation of being merely 
superficial, saying it was biased toward blaming only Koemayadi and his subordinates.

The investigation found the arms illegally stockpiled by Koesmayadi were for 
his personal collection and did not have any political significance.

The deceased Army officer had an obsession with establishing an arms museum, 
investigators said.

The added that 43 of the 185 arms stashed at Koesmayadi's home were found and 
purchased at his own initiative and that the procurements did not follow 
standard procedures.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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