Confusion yesterday surrounded the whereabouts of Gen Prabowo Subianto, son-in-law of the former Indonesian president, following his weekend sacking by the armed forces chief and Defence Minister, Gen Wiranto.
Yesterday the head of the ABRI (army) command and staff college at Bandung, West Java, Lieut Gen Ari Kumaat, said that Gen Prabowo would replace him today at a ceremony at ABRI headquarters in Jakarta, attended by Gen Wiranto.
He could not explain to the official Antara News Agency why the ceremony would not be at the college, in the usual low profile way.
But since the sacking that followed the fall of Gen Suharto there have been conflicting rumours about Gen Prabowo's intentions - including one that he was leading a band of more than 500 dissident troops "into the countryside". Another report said that troops under his command had refused to accept Gen Wiranto's choice to replace him. Another name had to be found.
Ms Carmel Budiardjo of Tapol, the London-based Indonesian human rights association, said that her information was that Gen Prabowo might not accept the college position and might be trying to secure an ambassadorship. "There are still quite severe rifts in the army," she said.
Today's Far Eastern Economic Review reports that shortly after President Suharto resigned last Friday Gen Prabowo marched with some of his troops to the presidential palace to demand a meeting with President Habibie.
After a tense exchange with the presidential guard, they left.
The incident prompted a military alert throughout the city. Troops re-erected barricades on the route to the palace, giving rise to reports that a coup was in progress. This, says the Review, may have been the closest Indonesia came during the crisis to the "nightmare scenario" of internal army conflict.
A report from a pro-democracy source says that the strategic reserve command general's troops had been surrounded by others loyal to Gen Wiranto before Gen Prabowo, who is in his mid 40s, was persuaded to return to barracks.
Pro-democracy movement reports have said that Indonesia's youngest three star general, who enjoyed a meteoric rise under his father-in-law, is "very upset" at not receiving favour under President Habibie, and at being moved to a non-combat post.
The officer, who has a notorious reputation from his counter-insurgency activities in East Timor, is believed to have expected to be army chief of staff with a cabinet position.
In the reshuffle of top commanders ordered by Gen Wiranto - apparently to isolate Gen Prabowo - command of Kostrad, the strategic reserve command, has been given to Lieut Gen Jamari Chaniago. Pro-democracy sources say Gen Wiranto's original choice was Gen Johny Lumintang, a former commander in Irian Jaya, where Papuan separatists have been fighting since the 1960s.
The replacement of the Jakarta police chief, predicted by sources reported in yesterday's Irish Times, was reported in Jakarta yesterday. Maj Gen Hamani Nata will be replaced today by Maj Gen Nugroho Djayusan.
Gen Prabowo has been associated with recent violence against students and Chinese. An ABRI investigation of the May 13th killing of six students in a non-violent demonstration at Trisakti University concluded that Gen Prabowo's troops were involved and that they helped foment riots and attacks against the Chinese. For a time this conclusion gave rise to the rumour that the general was under house arrest.
Speculation has also surrounded the removal of students who did not accept President Habibie from the parliament building last Friday. Some pro-democracy sources suggest that Gen Wiranto acted to avert provocation by pro-Prabowo forces.