Jakarta – An Indonesian political activist kidnapped in March and later held in police custody said on Tuesday he believed he had been abducted by security forces.

In his first public statement since being released by police on July 13, Andy Arief told a news conference he was not harmed while he was being held for about three weeks in March and April. He said his kidnappers accused him of leading a communist group and interrogated him on his political beliefs, including his opinions on the status of East Timor and who should become Indonesia's president.

"The military police already have enough evidence to solve this case," Arief said, adding that his abductors could have been from the Kopassus special forces, the regular troops or a unit of the police. Indonesian authorities last week ordered the arrest of seven Kopassus soldiers in connection with th e kidnapping and illegal detention of several political activists, including Arief.

The activists were all opposed to the regime of former president Suharto, who resigned on May 21 as protests against his rule mounted amid a deepening economic crisis. Several of those kidnapped and later released have said they were tortured in custody. Other activists are still missing.

Arief, the head of a student arm of the banned but still active People's Democratic Party (PRD), was kidnapped by unknown persons in the city of Bandar Lampung on March 28. His family said authorities had denied knowledge of his whereabouts but on April 20 police said that Arief had been in their custody since April 17.

Police charged Arief with involvement in a bomb explosion in January and held him until earlier this month. He has been freed but charges against him are still pending.