Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta – The Indonesian military is scrambling to distance itself from claims it is linked to terrorist networks after the arrest of a retired general in American Guam on arms smuggling and money laundering charges.
Former navy general Erick Wutolo and three other Indonesians were detained at the weekend after an FBI investigation led to allegations that they conspired to sell American weapons to Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka, and sophisticated night-sight goggles to Indonesia's armed forces, or TNI.
Mr Wutolo appeared in a court on the US-administered Pacific island yesterday, after one of his co-conspirators, Singaporean Haniffa bin Osman, agreed to stand trial in Maryland, in the US, on firearms, terrorism and money laundering charges.
The other Indonesians – all civilians – are due to appear before a Guam judge today. The head of the Indonesian parliament's lower house, Agung Laksono, has been scathing in his criticism of a military which, in the eyes of many, has not cut itself free from a reliance on illicit business practice.
"Why does this keep happening?" asked Mr Laksono as he demanded that TNI chief General Djoko Suyanto pay better attention to the fast-growing scandal. "Is this because business is too tempting? Is this to do with terrorism or with weapons smuggling?"
Prosecutors allege that Mr Wutolo and an associate named Subandi negotiated the purchase of $US3 million ($4 million) of US weapons and other military equipment, finally agreeing to an order of just $US700,000 but promising a follow-up contract worth $US15 million. Guam, which has been an American territory since World War II, was to be used as a transit point for the contraband.
The case follows one in April, when four men – one of them an Indonesian – were arrested in Hawaii as they negotiated the purchase of sidewinder missiles, handguns and military aviation radar systems, also allegedly for the TNI.
The TNI quickly distanced itself from Mr Wutolo, denying he was operating on its behalf. Marines commander General Safzen Nurdin praised his former colleague, describing him as "conscientious", but added: "We don't monitor people after they retire – he's not an agent of the TNI."