The Jakarta Post Sunday, January 27, 2008

Police to probe BIN's role in Munir case

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police said Saturday they would once again question Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto in relation to the murder of noted activist Munir Said Thalib before questioning former top spy agency officials allegedly linked to the case.

The plan to question the ex-pilot came after he was found guilty by the Supreme Court of the premeditated murder of Munir and was sentenced to 20 years in jail Friday.

On Friday night Pollycarpus was arrested at his home in Pamulang, Tangerang, Banten province, and taken to Cipinang prison in East Jakarta.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Sisno Adiwinoto said Pollycarpus' testimony was needed as it may indicate the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) played a part in the murder.

"We will collect new information regarding the possibility of conspiracy in relation to this murder," he told The Jakarta Post.

However, Sisno said a date was yet to be set for Pollycarpus' questioning.

"We will give him some time because he may still be shocked by his sentence."

Former deputy BIN chief Muchdi Purwo Prandjono and the agency's current deputy chief M. As'ad are alleged to have played a part in Munir's murder.

However, the pair are yet to be named as suspects, despite their links to the case being mentioned in earlier court trials.

In a written statement read out at a court session, BIN agent Budi Santoso said Muchdi knew Pollycarpus and gave him Rp 10 million (approximately US$1,070) for an unknown purpose.

BIN leaders have denied being linked to the crime.

As'ad allegedly ordered former Garuda Indonesia president director Indra Setiawan to post Pollycarpus as a security officer on the plane that flew Munir from Jakarta to Amsterdam, according to the statement.

Munir was found dead on board the flight on Sept. 7, 2004. A Dutch autopsy found he was poisoned with arsenic.

In its Friday verdict, the Supreme Court said Pollycarpus was the "main actor" in Munir's murder.

Commenting on the verdict, former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid said Saturday the main actors in the Munir murder case were still at large.

"It's pity for Pollycarpus that he was sentenced to 20 years in prison while the real killers are free," he said, as quoted by Antara in Surabaya, East Java.

Gus Dur said a "current minister" was one of the main actors in the murder, but declined to mention a name.

He said Santoso had since been assigned to a position abroad so he would be far away from the investigation.

Pollycarpus' lawyers said he was planning to file an appeal against Friday's verdict, which overturned an earlier Supreme Court verdict acquitting him of the murder charges he was facing.

At Cipinang jail, Pollycarpus is occupying a "15x15-meter adapting room" with another 200 prisoners, prison head Haviluddin said.

"He will stay in the room for about one month to adapt to his new situation, before being moved to his permanent cell," Haviluddin told detik.com.