Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JAKARTA3001
2007-10-26 09:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:
MUNIR UPDATE -- POLICE CONTINUE TO PRESS
how-toVZCZCXRO0024 OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHJA #3001 2990924 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 260924Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6819 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1436 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 3351 RUEHJA/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 1991 RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 003001
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT. FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL/PHD
DOJ FOR FBI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINS KJUS ID
SUBJECT: MUNIR UPDATE -- POLICE CONTINUE TO PRESS
INVESTIGATION
REF: A. JAKARTA 1233
B. JAKARTA 2122
C. JAKARTA 2201
D. JAKARTA 2869
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 003001
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT. FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL/PHD
DOJ FOR FBI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINS KJUS ID
SUBJECT: MUNIR UPDATE -- POLICE CONTINUE TO PRESS
INVESTIGATION
REF: A. JAKARTA 1233
B. JAKARTA 2122
C. JAKARTA 2201
D. JAKARTA 2869
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: The murder case of well-known human rights
activist Munir Thalib is moving forward with ongoing police
investigations and trials of new suspects. Human rights
lawyer Usman Hamid continues to be upbeat about police
efforts to pursue current and former Indonesian Intelligence
Agency (BIN) officials implicated in the murder. There is
still no confirmation of when the Supreme Court will finish
its review of its controversial December 2006 acquittal of
murder suspect Pollycarpus Priyanto. Overall, the soundings
in this key accountability case continue to be positive. END
SUMMARY.
2. (C) POLICE EFFORTS CONTINUE: Police investigating the
2004 murder of human rights activist Munir Thalib are
questioning BIN Deputy Chief As'ad Said Alim, accordin/9Q}-.*s5Bads to the highest
levels within BIN. According to Hamid, the ongoing police
investigative efforts are remarkable given the historically
entrenched hierarchy within the state security apparatus that
places police in a subservient position to its "big brothers"
in the BIN and the military (TNI).
3. (C) HEARINGS: On October 24-25, preliminary hearings
were held for two suspects, former Garuda Air CEO Indra
Setiawan and secretary to Garuda's chief pilot, Rohainil
Aini. These suspects link Munir's assassination plot to
former BIN director Hendropriyono and his subordinates (ref
A). Setiawan and Rohainil are accused of providing the
letter assigning Pollycarpus to fly to Singapore on Munir,s
flight as part of the airlines' Aviation Security staff (ref
B, D). This allowed Pollycarpus to fly with Munir to
Singapore, where he is suspected of poisoning Munir with
arsenic. The Attorney General,s Office (AGO) requested a
case review of Pollycarpus' acquittal in August (ref B).
This AGO appeal cites testimony from Setiawan stating that he
received a written letter from As,ad requesting Pollycarpus'
reassignment.
4. (C) On October 24, the court ordered Setiawan's continued
detention because "he is needed for further investigations."
Rohainil's hearing, attended by poloff, began October 25 and
will reconvene November 1. In both Setiawan's October 24 and
Rohainil's October 25 hearings, separate defense teams argued
that indictments focused too much on crimes allegedly
committed by Pollycarpus--not by the defendants themselves.
Defense lawyer Muhammad Assegaf argued that because
Pollycarpus was acquitted, Rohainil now is being used as a
scapegoat, because law enforcement lacks the courage or
competence to find the true perpetrators.
5. (C) POSITIVE SOUNDINGS: Overall, the soundings in this
key accountability case are positive. Continued pursuit of
this case, particularly questioning of a senior BIN official,
is further indication that there is strong political will to
find justice at this time. There is still no confirmation of
when the Supreme Court will finish its review of the appeal
to its controversial December 2006 acquittal of murder
suspect Pollycarpus Priyanto.
HUME
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT. FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL/PHD
DOJ FOR FBI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINS KJUS ID
SUBJECT: MUNIR UPDATE -- POLICE CONTINUE TO PRESS
INVESTIGATION
REF: A. JAKARTA 1233
B. JAKARTA 2122
C. JAKARTA 2201
D. JAKARTA 2869
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: The murder case of well-known human rights
activist Munir Thalib is moving forward with ongoing police
investigations and trials of new suspects. Human rights
lawyer Usman Hamid continues to be upbeat about police
efforts to pursue current and former Indonesian Intelligence
Agency (BIN) officials implicated in the murder. There is
still no confirmation of when the Supreme Court will finish
its review of its controversial December 2006 acquittal of
murder suspect Pollycarpus Priyanto. Overall, the soundings
in this key accountability case continue to be positive. END
SUMMARY.
2. (C) POLICE EFFORTS CONTINUE: Police investigating the
2004 murder of human rights activist Munir Thalib are
questioning BIN Deputy Chief As'ad Said Alim, accordin/9Q}-.*s5Bads to the highest
levels within BIN. According to Hamid, the ongoing police
investigative efforts are remarkable given the historically
entrenched hierarchy within the state security apparatus that
places police in a subservient position to its "big brothers"
in the BIN and the military (TNI).
3. (C) HEARINGS: On October 24-25, preliminary hearings
were held for two suspects, former Garuda Air CEO Indra
Setiawan and secretary to Garuda's chief pilot, Rohainil
Aini. These suspects link Munir's assassination plot to
former BIN director Hendropriyono and his subordinates (ref
A). Setiawan and Rohainil are accused of providing the
letter assigning Pollycarpus to fly to Singapore on Munir,s
flight as part of the airlines' Aviation Security staff (ref
B, D). This allowed Pollycarpus to fly with Munir to
Singapore, where he is suspected of poisoning Munir with
arsenic. The Attorney General,s Office (AGO) requested a
case review of Pollycarpus' acquittal in August (ref B).
This AGO appeal cites testimony from Setiawan stating that he
received a written letter from As,ad requesting Pollycarpus'
reassignment.
4. (C) On October 24, the court ordered Setiawan's continued
detention because "he is needed for further investigations."
Rohainil's hearing, attended by poloff, began October 25 and
will reconvene November 1. In both Setiawan's October 24 and
Rohainil's October 25 hearings, separate defense teams argued
that indictments focused too much on crimes allegedly
committed by Pollycarpus--not by the defendants themselves.
Defense lawyer Muhammad Assegaf argued that because
Pollycarpus was acquitted, Rohainil now is being used as a
scapegoat, because law enforcement lacks the courage or
competence to find the true perpetrators.
5. (C) POSITIVE SOUNDINGS: Overall, the soundings in this
key accountability case are positive. Continued pursuit of
this case, particularly questioning of a senior BIN official,
is further indication that there is strong political will to
find justice at this time. There is still no confirmation of
when the Supreme Court will finish its review of the appeal
to its controversial December 2006 acquittal of murder
suspect Pollycarpus Priyanto.
HUME