Agus Supriyanto, Jakarta – National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Syamsir Siregar has objected to remarks that BIN is involved in the murder of human rights activist Munir. There are suspicions that the murder is part of a criminal conspiracy and that BIN in involved.

“Don’t talk about indications, but talk about evidence which has been found. There has been no evidence so far of BIN’s involvement in the Munir case”, Siregar told journalists following a meeting with People’s Representative Assembly (DPR) Commission I at the national parliament in Senayan on Wednesday March 16.

Siregar also declined to give the names of the BIN officers who are involved in Munir’s murder when the question was put to him by journalists. “Don’t ask me okay, ask the person who’s saying so”, he said.

The Fact Finding Team in the case of Munir’s murder has submitted the names of six suspects. Two of the names are from BIN and four from Garuda Indonesia airlines – the executive director, the vice-president of corporate security, Garuda pilot Pollycarpus and the secretary chief pilot of airbus 330.

Siregar will hand the case over to the appropriate authorities if the Fact Finding Team finds evidence that a BIN officer is involved in Munir’s murder. “If indeed there is (a member of BIN which is involved) we will take legal action okay. If there is evidence [to that effect] why not”, he said.

Siregar admitted being involved in the investigation of Munir’s murder saying that BIN has been significantly involved in the case, both within Indonesia and overseas. According to Siregar, BIN is also open to meet with the investigative team/DPR’s special committee as well as the Fact Finding Team if they require information from BIN.

The closed meeting held by the DPR Commission I had invited Siregar to answer a number of question in relation to BIN’s involvement in Munir’s murder which is presently the subject of intense public discussion. But before all of the questions could be answered by Siregar however, the meeting was closed at 12.30pm and postponed until Wednesday March 23 next week. The DPR had to cut short all of the commission meetings because there is to be a plenary meeting on the issue of fuel price increases.

[Translated by James Balowski.]