United States Bring TNI Partners to Trial

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Hadianto Djoko Djuliarso, Managing Director of PT Ataru, who was arrested last month for suspected illegal weapons smuggling, appeared in court on Monday (15/5) for the first time in Detroit, Michigan, United States.It was an introductory trial, Hadianto was asked his name, his job and whether the accusation was true or not, Hadiantos spokesperson Hoedaifah Koeddah told Tempo yesterday (16/5).The thirty-minute trial was open to the public and it was a federal trial, not a state trial anymore because it is to do with weapons.Hadianto was charged of both money laundering and conspiracy in terms of violating the Weapons Export Monitoring Law. The conspiracy accusation, said Koeddah, was for attempting to illegally purchase weapons from the US, which could disrupt the countrys security system. Koeddah did not know when the next trial session would be.During the trial, Hadianto was accompanied by a lawyer appointed by the Detroit Court. Since the case first hit the public eye, a lawyer from the Calabro & Calabro Law Firm, which used to help former US President Ronald Reagan, has provided input to Hadianto's family. The lawyer's costs are to be borne by the family.On behalf of the government, the Republic of Indonesias Consular General in Chicago has been monitoring and accompanying Hadianto. Before the hearing, the Indonesian Consular General spoke with Hadianto for one hour. Also brought to trial were Ibrahim bin Amran, a Singaporean citizen, Ignatius Ferdinandus Soeharli, an Indonesian citizen, and David Beecroft, a United Kingdom citizen. They are being detained at the Detroit Attorney General's Office after they were arrested last month in Hawaii.These three are in fact partners of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Air Force in the US who were asked to purchase military equipment for F-5 planes that belong to the TNI Air Force. Although this is also acknowledged by the TNI Air Force, the Indonesian Defense Attach in the US did not accompany the partners during the trial.No, because this is a legal matter, it isn't concerned with the type of goods being sold, Indonesias Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono told Tempo by phone yesterday.Lieutenant General Syafrie Sjamsoeddin, Secretary General of the Department of Defense, said the department did not have any authority regarding the case. It was an individual activity, not institutional, said Sjafrie.According to him, what has become an institutional problem between the TNI Air Force and PT Ataru is related to the supply of F-5 radar spare parts. The supply has been completed accountably and transparently, said Sjarfrie.Fanny and Rini