OCTOBER 1 CHARGE Untung Sentenced To Death

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31004, 9 March 1966, Page 16

OCTOBER 1 CHARGE Untung Sentenced To Death

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright) SINGAPORE, March 8 An Indonesian military tribunal last night sentenced a former palace guard commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Untung, to death for treason.

Untung had been accused of leading last October’s abortive coup. He admitted he was responsible for the “September 30” movement, but claimed it was intended solely to save President Sukarno from a coup by a “Council of Generals.” Untung, whose trial began on February 23, denied all charges that he led an armed rebellion against the State and committed treason. Revolutionary Council Untung announced over Radio Djakarta on October 1 last year tht he had formed a 45-member “revolutionary council” to forestall a coup by the “council of generals.” He fled to Central Java after the abortive coup and was captured in mid-October while boarding a bus disguised as a civilian.

The stockily-built Untung, aged about 38, had a repu-

tation as an able soldier. He had been a battalion commander of the elite Tjakrabirawa (President Sukarno’s palace guard) regiment for six months before the abortive coup. Foreign correspondents were barred from Untung’s trial, held in the closelyguarded National Development Board building in Djakarta. Asked if he would appeal to President Sukarno for mercy, Untung said he would think about it. He has a month to appeal. Untung’s sentence comes just over two weeks after the military tribunal sentenced a Communist trade union leader, Njono, to death for his part in the coup attempt. The Soviet President, Mr Nikolai Podgorny, has asked President Sukarno to quash the death sentence on Njono.