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TNI, police, BNN to look into alleged links to drug lord
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Security personnel secure the second case review of drug lord Freddy Budiman in Cilacap, Central Java. Freddy was executed by firing squad, along with three other drug convicts, in the early hours of Friday. (thejakartapost.com/Agus Maryono)
T
he Indonesian Military (TNI), National Police and National Narcotics Agency (BNN) are to investigate the testimony of executed drug convict Freddy Budiman, given to a human rights activist, alleging involvement of personnel from the three institutions in his international drug network.
Freddy told Haris Azhar, coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), that in his illegal business he received assistance from the National Police, the BNN and the TNI. Haris wrote a lengthy article on Freddy's testimony that went viral on social media on Thursday, shortly before the drug kingpin was put to death by firing squad on Nusakambangan prison island in Cilacap, Central Java.
"We will check the truth of the statement. If it was correct, we will take further action," TNI chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo said on Saturday as quoted by kompas.com, commenting on the part of the story where Freddy told Haris that he once delivered drugs from Medan, North Sumatra, in a car belonging to a two-star TNI general, accompanied by the general himself.
The testimony that Haris published was based on his meeting with Freddy in Nusakambangan in mid-2014. Freddy also admitted to Haris that he had over the years given around Rp 450 billion (US$ 34.42 million) to the BNN and Rp 90 billion to top officials at the National Police.
The National Police will also probe the testimony and plan to contact Haris regarding the article, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said. Meanwhile, BNN spokesman Sr. Comr. Slamet Pribadi stressed that the agency would take firm action if there were members proven to be involved in Freddy's drug business.
Freddy was one of four drug convicts executed on Nusakambangan prison island in the early hours of Friday. Having been charged for multiple and major drug offenses, Freddy died by firing squad after his final appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected. (rin)
