UK journo falls from 21st floor

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 05/06/2008 9:42 AM  |  City

Alexander Henry Smith, a 30 year-old British journalist, died Monday afternoon after falling from the 21st floor of an apartment in Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, police said.

He fell with his notebook computer to the fifth floor, and his body was then taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Central Jakarta, police said as quoted by Antara news agency.

The British Embassy were aware of the situation but could not confirm the person's identity, Embassy spokesperson Faye Belnis told The Jakarta Post.

"We haven't been asked (by police) to identify the body, but we are ready to follow the usual procedure," she said.

A forensic doctor at the morgue, Mun'im Idris, told reporters a urine test had indicated Smith had been using drugs.

"The test results indicated marijuana and crystal methamphetamine," Mun'im said as quoted by Antara.

These two drugs could make users hallucinate, Mun'im added.

Later in the evening, however, Mun'im retracted his statement, saying he only assumed there was an indication of drug use in the urine tests.

Smith's family members had contacted him and refused him permission to conduct an autopsy, Mun'im said as quoted by Detik.com.

Setiabudi subprecinct chief Adj. Comr. Suwondo Nainggolan said police were still investigating the apartment and would ask for information from the victim's friends.

The police had not determined what caused the journalist to fall from the apartment. (ind)

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