Bakrie Group: Email Hacking Probe Uncovers Altered Documents

   By Alex MacDonald 
 

LONDON--Indonesia's influential Bakrie Group Friday said that in an investigation into illegal email and phone hacking at the conglomerate security advisers have uncovered "new evidence" that shows hacked documents had been altered to distort events.

Christopher Fong, a spokesman for Bakrie Group, said the conglomerate's security advisers had uncovered new evidence that shows that corporate emails and telephones had been illegally hacked, including private emails of senior executives within Bakrie-related companies.

"This evidence provides the authorities hard evidence that documents have been 'doctored' to give a misleading and inaccurate view to certain events," he added.

Indonesian police confirmed Wednesday for the first time that the Bakrie Group filed an official complaint alleging hacking at its companies preceding the proposed divorce between London-listed Bumi PLC (BUMI.LN) and the Bakrie Group, which have joint interests in Indonesian mining assets.

An Indonesian police spokesman however said Thursday that while the police had received the complaint they haven't yet started their investigation.

The conglomerate's allegations triggered a round of finger pointing and accusations of bad faith in the long-running Bumi PLC drama, which culminated with the resignation of key Bumi PLC shareholder Nat Rothschild on Monday.

Mr. Fong said the investigation is moving in a positive direction and said the conglomerate expects future announcements to be made by the appropriate authorities given the sensitivity of the situation.

Bumi PLC owns 29% in Indonesia's largest coal miner, the Bakrie-controlled Bumi Resources (BUMI.JK). After a series boardroom spats regarding corporate governance at Bumi Resources, the Bakrie Group has offer to sever ties with London-listed Bumi, with Bakrie offering to buy back the Indonesian mining assets held by Bumi PLC for $1.2 billion and in return cancelling its 23.8% stake in Bumi PLC.

Eric Bellman, Ben Otto and I Made Sentana contributed to this story.

-Write to Alex MacDonald at [e-mail]

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