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n the past few days, security guards, staffers and those who regularly visit the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) headquarters in South Jakarta have begun to notice a number of peculiarities, such as flowers being spread around one corner and red dirt sprayed in another. Others claimed that they saw goat hides with letters scrawled all over them. They also found powder with some believing that it was ground from bones.

For those familiar with black magic, these items are known to be used in the exercise of it.

Many have said that threats have been commonplace toward the KPK, but since the KPK began its probe into the driving simulators involving two police generals, the threats have become sinister.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi said such threats had become routine for investigators, and even the KPK commissioners. “They usually send us text messages, or call us, but when we try and call back, they never answer,” said Johan.

For threats that it considers serious, the KPK usually launches its own investigation first. So far, no serious precautionary measures have been taken to respond to these sinister actions.

Johan said that for things that many believed has magical powers, the KPK usually just ignored them. “We believe in God, and our investigations will not be encumbered with superstitions like this,” he said.

But a source with the KPK said that some KPK commissioners and staffers have often suffered from mysterious illnesses.

These are not the only types of threats that the KPK have had to deal with since it began investigating the driving simulator graft case.

Media reports have said that the conversations between KPK chairman Abraham Samad and deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto have been tapped.

Abraham himself downplayed the bugging speculation. “We do not talk business on the phone, so it is fine for them to tap our conversations,” Abraham told reporters on Wednesday.

Threats against graft-busting officials are nothing new.

Former attorney general Abdurrahman Saleh was known for his habit of bringing his own meals to the office for fear of poisoning.

His predecessor, Baharuddin Lopa, also known to be a reformer, shared the same habit. Many suspected that foul play could have had a role in his death in 2001.

He died only two weeks after vowing to investigate major corruption cases in June 2001.

The KPK and the police have had a tense relationship following the KPK’s decision to name two high-level police officers, former Police Traffic Corps chief Ins. Gen. Djoko Susilo and Corps deputy chief Brig. Gen. Didik Purnomo, as suspects in the driving simulator graft case, which allegedly caused Rp 100 billion (US$10.5 million) in state losses.

The KPK confiscated the documents during an all-night raid of the Police Traffic Corps headquarters in South Jakarta on July 30. The raid ended in a standoff, with KPK investigators prevented from leaving the building by police officers.

After two weeks, KPK investigators on Tuesday began analyzing the documents, which were previously locked inside a makeshift warehouse.

“God willing, we will have enough evidence. Those documents are to supplement the evidence that we already had,” Abraham said.