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2 Indonesian soldiers among 7 arrested for alleged abduction of Malaysian businessman

JAKARTA — Two Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers and an ex-police officer were allegedly involved in the abduction of a Malaysian businessman in Jakarta which reportedly stemmed from a failed business venture.

Indonesians ride on an Army armored vehicle during an exhibition in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2014. AP file photo

Indonesians ride on an Army armored vehicle during an exhibition in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2014. AP file photo

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JAKARTA — Two Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers and an ex-police officer were allegedly involved in the abduction of a Malaysian businessman in Jakarta which reportedly stemmed from a failed business venture.

The three are among seven people arrested over the kidnapping of Malaysian national Sahlan bin Bandan earlier this month.

Mr Sahlan was abducted after agreeing to meet the assailants at a McDonald’s outlet in Cibubur, East Jakarta on July 15.

He met the group after they had abducted his five younger siblings from the family’s residence in Bogor, West Java, and threatened to kill them. The five others were released after Mr Sahlan was attacked.

“They asked the victim to come to McDonald’s in Cibubur. After that he was taken to a house in Cijantung,” Senior Commissioner Khrisna Murti, the director for general crime investigations at the Jakarta Police, told reporters in Jakarta on Sunday (July 26).

He added Mr Sahlan was released eight days later, on July 23, after his family sent 100 million rupiahs (S$10,155) to the kidnappers — after which he immediately reported the incident to police.

Sr Comr Khrisna said the abduction was allegedly masterminded by two business partners of Mr Sahlan, identified only as RF and DS.

They allegedly hired the other suspects to kidnap and threaten the Malaysian national because they had lost 100 billion rupiahs in a failed business venture initiated by Mr Sahlan.

“The victim asked his two business partners to open a salted fish business and a money changer business in Malaysia and Batam. But the businesses failed; (they suffered) from losses,” Sr Comr Khrisna explained, as quoted by Indonesian news portal liputan6.com.

“Suspects DS and RF couldn’t accept this and demanded that their money was returned. But the victim could not return the money because he also suffered losses.”

Sr Comr Khrisna added that the victim was assaulted and was threatened with murder during the kidnapping.

Jakarta Military Command spokesman Colonel Heri Prakosa confirmed that two of the alleged kidnappers were members of the Indonesian Army.

One has been identified as a first sergeant with the Army Special Force, or Kopassus, and the other is a head sergeant with the Army Strategic Reserves, or Kostrad.

“Both of them were directly involved. They had been asked to do a favor by some people,” Col Prakosa said in Jakarta.

“They are fools. They should have thanked God for already receiving salaries and work allowances, but apparently those are still not enough for them,” he added. THE JAKARTA GLOBE

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