Jakarta – A number of test holes drilled in the vicinity of the home of Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra have confirmed suspicions of more underground bunkers located under the fugitive's residence, the National Police said on Tuesday.

"Other than the bunker which police located below Tommy's house, we have also drilled at six other spots, five of which are inside Tommy's residence. These were test holes," National Police spokesman Brigadier-General Saleh Saaf told reporters on Tuesday.

"In all six spots, we hit planks of some kind, not earth. This strengthened our suspicion that there could be more bunkers underground, and that Tommy could very likely be hiding there."

Tommy, the youngest son of disgraced former President Suharto, has been on the run since early November last year when President Abdurrahman Wahid rejected his plea for a pardon after he was sentenced to 18 months' jail for corruption. An earlier search in air-conditioned bunker found under the house had turned up little.

Brig-Gen Saleh said on Tuesday that National Police forensics experts needed to conduct more tests before they could actually drill and break into further sections of the residence and areas around it.

"Since we broke into the first bunker, we have found one person who is willing to lead us to where the bunkers are. His name cannot be disclosed as the police fear for his life," Brig-Gen Saleh said.

Separately, a National Police source said on the same day that police were able to locate the bunker early last month with the help of an informant.

The source also said that the sixth spot drilled was said to be in the residence of Mr Suharto's daughter, Ms Siti Hediati "Titiek" Hariyadi Prabowo.