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Wahid orders arrest of Suharto's son |
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September 16, 2000
JAKARTA, SEPT 15 (AP) - Indonesia's president Friday ordered the arrest of ex-dictator Suharto's youngest son in a bid to end a series a terrorist bombings. President Abdurrahman Wahid said he had ordered police to detain Hutomo Mandala Putra, also known as Tommy Suharto. His demand came two days after the bombing of the Jakarta Stock Exchange, which killed 15 people and left dozens injured. "I have ordered the Jakarta police chief to arrest Tommy Suharto," Wahid said. Wahid also called for the arrest of another suspect, Habib Alwi al Baaqil, chairman of the Islamic Defense Front, a pro-Suharto group. The president admitted that authorities did not have full evidence against the pair. "But we have reasons to arrest them to prevent another bombing like what happened with the Jakarta Stock Exchange," he said. Wahid's statements come amid growing speculation that supporters of Suharto were behind a series of bombings in the capital and elsewhere. Three of blasts have coincided with major developments in a corruption investigation and court case against Suharto, who is accused of stealing at least dlrs 583 million in government funds. Tommy, 38, is the youngest of Suharto's six children, who became superrich during their father's 32-year dictatorship. On July 4, a bomb damaged the attorney general's office soon after prosecutors grilled Tommy about his father's business interests. Lawyers for Suharto have dismissed as speculation claims by senior government officials that his supporters were behind the blasts. |