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by Kazi Mahmood KUALA LUMPUR (Islam Online) - Senior security officers admitted that two of the suspects arrested in connection with the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) bombing were members of the armed forces. A potentially embarrassing revelation for the ultra-powerful military in Indonesia, the military initially denied any involvement in the spate of bombings that have literally terrorized Jakarta. Police on Sunday said they arrested 25 people suspected of carrying out the bombings, including the blast at the Jakarta Stock Exchange that killed 15. One suspect, armed with a grenade, was picked up as he was allegedly on his way to attack Jakarta's U.S. Embassy and a nearby crowded department store, police said. A police officer confirmed that one of the two was a member of the army's most feared Kopassus special forces, which specializes in counter-terrorist tactics. The unit has been accused of human rights abuses and of organizing civil unrest in the past. They are said to be close to ex-president Suharto. President under fire after appointing police chief President Abdurrahman Wahid's appointment of General Bimantoro as National Police chief has drawn criticism from several observers and legislators in Jakarta. They believe the president by-passed his prerogatives and went beyond the limit given to him by law. They maintain that the President's decision to officially swear in Bimantoro without consulting the House of Representatives was a violation of a People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) decree. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle chairman Sophan Sophian, said that Abdurrahman had violated a MPR Decree. "In my personal capacity, as a House member, I suggest the House send a letter to warn Gus Dur [as the President is popularly known] on that matter," Sophan said. Sophan brushed aside Abdurrahman's claim on the immediacy of installing Bimantoro due to the Atambua incident. "Why couldn't he wait for just a week or two? I don't believe his [expressed] motives to install Bimantoro," he said, but added, "I don't have a problem with Bimantoro or whoever as the police chief." He further noted that defying an Assembly decree has the same political consequence as the State Guideline, which was also established through a decree. Military could react against President, warns Muslim scholar Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid warned the President of Indonesia not to continue pushing the military into a corner. He said the warning was necessary because, despite its current problems, the military was still a very strong institution. The President must be more careful with his steps to reform the military; otherwise the moves will backfire on him, Nurcholish said. "I'm afraid if the President continues to corner the military, because they have arms," Nurcholish was quoted as saying. Abdurrahman Wahid, President of Indonesia, has been tough with the military, reducing their role in politics and forcing reforms within the army itself. Last year he managed to force the resignation of General Wiranto, after Suharto, one of the strongest and most powerful military heads ever in Indonesia, observers say. The president's recent dismissal of Fachru, the armed forces second in command, has been widely criticized by Wahid opponents. Fachru is said to be close to Islamic forces in the country and was appointed to this post by ex-President Habibie. Morning quake shakes Bandung An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale awakened residents of Bandung, Indonesia, who were looking forward to a lazy Sunday morning. The local Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said the 30-second earthquake jolted the city at 7:55 a.m. Bandung is mainly a popular tourist resort city some 8 hours from Jakarta by train. According to the agency, the tremor could be felt in a number of West Java towns, including Sukabumi, Indramayu, Subang and Sumedang. Parts of Jakarta were said to have felt the quake. No immediate reports of casualties or damage were reported. The head of the Bandung Institute of Technology, Nanang T. Puspito, said a movement at the subduction zone, pushing the Indo-Australian continental shelf against the Eurasian shelf, caused the tremor. This is the second time this year that the city of Bandung has been shaken by an earthquake |
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