Nivell Rayda – A lawyer for the embattled Corruption Eradication Commission said on Friday staff members had received death threats from a senior police officer, fanning the flames of a bitter rivalry between the two agencies.

Ahmad Rifai said the threats were sent via four text messages to Suedi Husin, the director of graft investigation at the commission, or the KPK, and Ade Raharja, the commission's head of graft investigation and prosecution, demanding that they stop an investigation involving the National Police's chief of detectives, Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji.

Recently, the KPK received a report from the country's money-laundering watchdog, the Financial Transaction Reports Analysis Center (PPATK), alleging that Susno had received illicit money from Bank Century, which changed its name to Bank Mutiara on Friday.

A recent report from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) suggested that after the government took over the ailing bank and injected Rp 689.4 billion ($71.7 million), state-owned social security provider PT Jamsostek and Boedi Sampoerna of the powerful Sampoerna family withdrew trillions of rupiah from the lender, far above the Rp 2 billion insured by the State Deposit Insurance Agency (LPS). This has led to speculation that Susno, who was investigating the case, had intervened on their behalf.

"There is a strong indication that the messages were from a 'rogue' police officer. The messages contained jargon and terminology only understood by police officers," Ahmad said. "Even if the messages were not from a police officer, or if this was just a prank, this is a serious offense."

A source at the KPK told several media outlets, including the Jakarta Globe, that the threatening messages were sent from Susno's mobile phone number and called Suedi and Ade "dik" or "younger brother," a familiar term of affection. Both Suedi and Ade are Susno's subordinates at the National Police.

"Please check if your men had a special operation... [your men] are now pinned down by East Java [Police] snipers. If they are your men, I will delay [ordering the snipers] to take them down, but only if your men are called off" of their investigation, the message said. Susno could not be reached for comment.

On Friday, Susno and three of his staff members visited the commission's office and met with Haryono Umar and Mochammad Jasin, two active KPK commissioners. Commission spokesman Johan Budi said the text messages were not among the matters discussed at the closed meeting.

Separately, Indonesia Corruption Watch urged the antigraft body to report the threatening messages to the National Police. "The KPK must not be afraid to disclose the matter so the public can find out where the messages really came from," ICW deputy chairman Emerson Yuntho said. National Police spokesman, Insp. Gen. Nanan Sukarnan, said the antigraft body was welcome to file a report.