Indonesian police Saturday questioned two sisters of Tommy Suharto in their hunt for the former dictator's fugitive son, accused of ordering the gangland murder of the judge who jailed him.
Eldest sister Siti "Tutut" Hardiyanti Rukmana, who says her brother wants to surrender and clear his name of murder and other allegations, was questioned for the second time in two days.
Also quizzed at Central Jakarta Police headquarters was another sister, Siti Hediyati "Titik" Prabowo, according to the state Antara news agency.
Police have intensified the hunt for Tommy after accusing him Monday of ordering the July 26 killing of Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, the Supreme Court judge who sentenced him to 18 months' jail last year for a land scam.
They say two suspects claim they shot Kartasasmita on Tommy's orders and received 10,000 dollars from him for the job. Tommy has been in hiding for the last nine months to avoid going to jail.
Police have also linked him to a series of bombings in Jakarta in recent months, after discovering a cache of arms and explosives in raids on an apartment and house he allegedly used.
Antara said Tutut and Titik were questioned about Hetty Siti Hardika, a woman whom police have detained in connection with Tommy's alleged bombing campaign and the judge's murder.
Tutut had known Hetty for the past two or three years but they were not close friends, according to one of the daughters' lawyers, Nudirman Munir.
The session stopped after three hours because Tutut was not feeling well.
"The police had prepared 30 questions for Tutut but after answering the eighth question, Tutut said she was not fit to continue," Central Jakarta police chief Senior Commissioner Mathius Salempang was quoted as saying.
Some 60 youths staged a demonstration outside, Antara said.
"Tommy Suharto, surrender before the people judge you" read one placard and "Hang the judge killer" read another.
Tutut told reporters Friday her brother had phoned her several times, most recently on Tuesday. She said he "conveyed his desire to surrender and to clarify all accusations which are false."
Since Suharto senior stepped down in May 1998 his family has come under scrutiny for the immense fortunes which some of them allegedly acquired illegally during his 32-year rule.
Police have dropped "wanted" posters over Jakarta with a photo of what they say is a bearded Tommy and launched raids on the homes of his family and friends. But some quarters have expressed scepticism about the degree of their determination to find him.
A Jakarta Post editorial said that according to one report Tommy had celebrated his birthday last month at the house of one of his siblings and the event was well attended by his relatives.
"Tommy's alleged presence at the party shows that the police's inability to find him has become a matter of national shame," it said -- JAKARTA (AFP)
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