INDONESIA: YOUNGEST SON OF FORMER PRESIDENT SUHARTO ARRIVES AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS A DAY AFTER HIS ARREST IS ORDERED OVER BOMB PROBE

Record ID: 442972

  • Title: INDONESIA: YOUNGEST SON OF FORMER PRESIDENT SUHARTO ARRIVES AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS A DAY AFTER HIS ARREST IS ORDERED OVER BOMB PROBE
  • Date: 16th September 2000
  • Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (SEPTEMBER 16, 2000) (REUTERS) 1. SLV EXTERIOR OF JAKARTA CITY POLICE HEADQUARTERS (2 SHOTS) 0.10 2. SLV SECURITY OUTSIDE BUILDING; JOURNALISTS WAITING (3 SHOTS) 0.25 3. SCU HUTOMO "TOMMY" MANDALA PUTRA COMING OUT OF BUILDING; PHOTOGRAPHERS; TOMMY SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS; TOMMY ENTERING CAR; CAR LEAVING (4 SHOTS) 1.21 4. SV JAKARTA CHIEF DETECTIVE, HARRY MONTOLALU, SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS 1.26 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) MONTOLALU SAYING "We don't have any judicial proof. (Why did he come?) It was only for clarification. (What is the result of the meeting) He denies any involvement in the bombings" 1.38 6. SLV MONTALALU SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS 1.43 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 1st October 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVAAWBI9K8WAMUPBE27VVDKN65TD
  • Story Text: The youngest son of former President Suharto arrived
    at police headquarters a day after the President ordered his
    arrest over a bomb probe. He said he had turned up voluntarily
    to answer questions and declare his innocence.

    Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra came to the police
    station on Saturday (September 16) without his lawyer. He said
    he had come on his own initiative and denied any involvement
    in the recent bombings.

    The station said it had invited him only to answer
    questions. Police do not have enough evidence to charge him
    despite President Abdurrahman Wahid's announcement on Friday
    that he had ordered his arrest in connection with a bomb
    investigation.

    Tommy denied he was involved in the recent bombings which
    have rocked Indonesia, including one on Wednesday (September
    13) at Jakarta's stock exchange, in which 15 people died.

    After two hours questioning Tommy Suharto, the chief of
    detectives Harry Montolalu, came out to explain the situation.

    "We don't have any judicial proof. It was only for
    clarification. He denies any involvement in the bombings,"
    Wahid has not specified which bomb probe he was referring
    to when he said he had a lot of evidence against Tommy. But he
    issued the order just two days after the massive stock
    exchange blast.

    Wahid, renowned for his off-the-cuff and sometimes
    confusing remarks, caught police completely off guard with the
    order.

    Ordinary Indonesians have been captivated by the news and
    welcome the scrutiny into a family that lived a life of luxury
    and privilege for three decades. Tommy's father, Suharto,
    ruled with an iron fist until his downfall in 1998.

    The order to arrest Tommy comes amid concerns by senior
    officials that they may have to drop a corruption trial of
    Suharto because of violence linked to the landmark case.

    Wednesday's car bomb at the stock exchange exploded on the
    eve of the resumption of that trial.

    Tommy is among the more notorious of Suharto's offspring,
    heading businesses that were seen as reflecting some of the
    worst excesses in a nation which became among the world's most
    corrupt.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register