Jakarta – Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid said yesterday he had sacked the national police chief because the latter had refused to arrest a son of former president Suharto and a Muslim leader he had linked to the recent bomb attacks in Jakarta.

"I had ordered the police to question, even arrest the suspects but it was not obeyed. So I replaced the police chief," he said, speaking after Friday prayers.

On Monday, Mr Abdurrahman dismissed police chief General Rusdiharjo, saying "the security situation requires the replacement". Gen Rusdiharjo's sacking was blamed on his failure to solve or prevent the series of bombings, the last of which killed 15 people and injured 27 in the Jakarta Stock Exchange building.

The Indonesian president apparently took the police by surprise after Friday prayers last week. He announced he had ordered the arrest of Mr Suharto's youngest son, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, in connection with blasts. He said at the time there was "plenty of evidence" against the 37-year-old Tommy, a wealthy businessman.

Mr Abdurrahman said a second person, local Muslim leader Ali Baaqil, should also be arrested. Mr Ali Baaqil said he would sue the president for defamation, then later said he had talked to the president and dropped the idea.

During Friday's session with a Muslim congregation, the Indonesian leader defended his arrest order saying it was intended "to prevent further bloodshed". "The nation should be informed about who we want to investigate," he said.

Police have since said there is "not enough evidence" to arrest Tommy, but they invited him to Jakarta police headquarters last Saturday for "clarification". Tommy left police headquarters after more than two hours saying he was "disappointed" with the president's order.

The timing of the September 13 exchange building blast, on the eve of the second session of the corruption trial of Mr Suharto, reinforced the widespread belief in Jakarta that the blasts were connected to loyalists of the former president. An explosion blew up a bus in the capital on the eve of the first session of Mr Suharto's trial. The next session is due on September 28.

On Wednesday, the Indonesian Observer reported that the governor of Jakarta intended to call in the notorious Kopassus special forces to help restore security in Jakarta.