A retired military intelligence official said on Tuesday that he had been part of a group that planned a notorious and deadly attack against members of the main opposition party 15 years ago.
Retired Brig. Gen. Slamet Singgih said that a week before the July 27, 1996, attack, in which five people died, 143 were wounded and 16 went missing, he had taken part in a secret meeting with other high-ranking military officials to plan the ouster of Megawati Sukarnoputri as head of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).
The PDI at that time was divided between those who supported Megawati as the party's leader and those who backed her main rival, Suryadi, who had been elected party chairman at a congress which the future president's supporters considered to be a sham.
In a defiant reaction to the congress' election results, Megawati's supporters occupied the party's headquarters at Jalan Diponegoro in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
Slamet said during a press conference on Tuesday that the attack had been planned as a way of supporting Suryadi while striking a blow against Megawati and her supporters.
Present at that secret meeting 15 years ago were military chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Army head Gen. R. Hartono, National Police Chief Dibyo Widodo, Jakarta Military Regional Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso and the head of the Army's Strategic Reserve Command, Lt. Gen. Wiranto, according to Slamet.
Sutiyoso was asked to help Suryadi reclaim the office from the grasp of the pro-Megawati faction.
"I was once tasked to get rid of Megawati but I disagreed because it's not fair," Slamet was quoted as saying by newsportal MediaIndonesia.com adding that he recalled hearing Wiranto telling Sutiyoso to deal with the rival PDI faction. "Yos [Sutiyoso], don't delay anymore. What are you waiting for?" Slamet said, quoting Wiranto.
Slamet said the reason he was finally coming forward was so that the case investigation could be reopened. "The reason I speak about the secret meeting is because I want all facts to be revealed and the generals to be held responsible for what they did," he said.