Jakarta orders arrest of Suharto's son for bomb

Indonesia's president, Abdurrahman Wahid, has ordered the arrest of the youngest son of the country's former dictator, Suharto, in connection with Wednesday's bomb in Jakarta's financial district that killed 15 and injured dozens.

Indonesia's president, Abdurrahman Wahid, has ordered the arrest of the youngest son of the country's former dictator, Suharto, in connection with Wednesday's bomb in Jakarta's financial district that killed 15 and injured dozens.

"In the cabinet meeting yesterday, I ordered the [police] to arrest Tommy Suharto in relation to the bomb case," the President told worshippers at a mosque in the capital.

Claiming that police had plenty of evidence to justify the arrest, Mr Wahid warned that further bombings were likely to hit the capital. "According to the tracing of telephone calls, there are several other places that will be blasted," Mr Wahid said.

"We can't tolerate this any more. Strict action must be taken against anyone who has been involved in this action."

The financial district device, the latest in a spate of unexplained attacks, exploded on the eve of the resumption of the trial on corruption charges of the former dictator - who was forced from office two years ago. The explosion fuelled speculation that the violence as well as the sectarian tensions in the former Spice Islands is being orchestrated by associates of the Suharto family.

A bomb went off in a bus near the court building just as the case went to trial two weeks ago.

Indonesia is now awash with rumours that forces allied to the former ruler are determined to halt the corruption trial and thwart progress towards democracy.

Tommy Suharto, 38, is one of Indonesia's richest men, and is widely believed to be the leading figure in a cabal of friends, relatives and supporters of the former dictator whose campaign of "provocation" is aimed at undermining the new, elected government

Suspicion surrounding Tommy's links to the present unrest began to grow in early July when a bomb exploded at the offices of the attorney general hours after Tommy had been questioned there.

The attacks have already caused a rethink in Jakarta about the wisdom of putting Suharto on trial.

The Defence Minister suggested last week that the trial might have to be called off. "If we keep meddling with this matter we will not have time to take care of other problems because we will continue to be harassed," Mohammad Mahfud said. "More terror will keep coming."

He blamed "Suharto's cronies, who have a large amount of money" but suggested that the government may have to seek an out-of-court settlement with the family.

Tommy Suharto, whose real name is Hutomo Mandala Putra, is notorious among members of the Suharto clan who allegedly looted millions or even billions of dollars in state funds during the 32-year dictatorship.

He first came to international attention after setting up a monopoly to handle sales of cloves, which are a key ingredient in Indonesia's most popular cigarettes. The scheme was roundly condemned by international donors.

His "Timor car project", which enjoyed special tax breaks, also drew attacks from the international community. He owned a majority stake in the Italian luxury car maker Lamborghini.

With his fondness for fast cars and for flaunting his spectacular wealth, Tommy continued to live a charmed life even at the height of the economic crisis that toppled his father from power.

As food riots were breaking out in the capital, he arrived at a news conference in a Rolls-Royce and announced that his family's rule had stood the country in good stead.

Tommy was acquitted last year on corruption charges connected to a land deal.