Suharto grandson held after arms find

Police have been ordered to intensify their search for Tommy Suharto

By staff and wire reports

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Police in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, say they have detained the eldest grandson of former President Suharto after finding live ammunition in his house.

Ari Sigit Suharto was taken for questioning Monday night after live rounds were found during a search of his luxury home by police hunting the former president's fugitive son, Tommy.

According to the English language Jakarta Post website the ammunition found in Sigit's house comprised 20 bullets for a Magnum revolver and 50 nine-millimeter bullets.

"Ari Sigit is being detained for questioning," Jakarta police spokesman Anton Bahrul told Reuters.

"He was brought to police headquarters last night after we found 70 bullets in his house during our search for Tommy"

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He is being questioned on suspicion of illegally possessing firearms police said, adding it was not yet clear if there was sufficient evidence to press charges.

Playboy

Tommy, who was infamous in Jakarta for his millionaire playboy lifestyle, has been on the run since November when he was sentenced to 18 months in jail for his role in a multimillion-dollar land scam.

He is also wanted for questioning over allegations that he was behind the assassination last month of the judge who originally sentenced him to jail.

Last week police arrested two suspects for the judge's murder who allegedly told police that Tommy had ordered the killing.

Shortly afterwards 11 people were arrested in a police raid on house belonging to Tommy in which large quantities of weapons were seized.

Last year, then President Aburrahman Wahid blamed Tommy for the bombing of the Jakarta Stock Exchange in which 15 people died.

Surrender

Tommy, who has not been seen since November, was known for his playboy lifestyle

On Friday police said they had received word from the Suharto family that they were prepared to surrender Tommy -- Ari Sigit's uncle -- to the authorities in return for guaranties over his safety.

But no other details have been given and it is not clear when they might be proposing to hand him over.

Indonesia's new President Megawati Sukarnoputri has ordered police to increase their efforts to hunt down Tommy and bring him to justice.

The Suharto family is alleged to amassed a huge fortune during the three decade-long rule of former President Suharto, but Tommy is the only member of the clan to have been found guilty of corruption so far.

The former president evaded prosecution for graft last year claiming he was too ill and old to face trial.

On Monday Tommy's wife was quoted by Indonesian media as appealing to her husband to turn himself in.