Komnas HAM Doubts Motive behind Novel Baswedan Attack Case

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) conveyed its suspicions about the motive behind the attack against senior investigator of Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Novel Baswedan, saying that it was personal hate of the two alleged perpetrators identified as RB and RM.

“Our findings show that the attack is committed systemically by plans,” said the human rights watchdog’s research commissioner Mohammad Choirul Anam to Tempo on Monday, December 30.

The attack against Novel, Anam said, involved many people with various roles, such as the planner, location spotter, and attackers. Komnas HAM discovered several strangers roamed around Novel’s house in Pegangsaan Dua, Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, days before the terror. The strangers were suspected of being involved in the case.

Komnas HAM suspected that the acid attack against Novel was related to his work as the anti-graft body’s investigator. “It is necessary to see the construction of the case thoroughly. It is hard to believe that the motive is personal,” Anam added.

Anam then urged the police to seek comprehensive evidence, including about the relation to the corruption case handled by Novel so that the law enforcement of such terror will not stop as a mere attack case.

The police earlier arrested RB and RM who are active policemen for alleged involvement in Novel Baswedan case. However, the police were tight-lipped to reveal both full names. When they were escorted to the police car on Saturday, December 28, RB yelled before reporters at the site, “Note this, I dislike Novel because he is a traitor.”

DEWI NURITA | KORAN TEMPO