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Tommy Suharto arrested

Tommy Suharto has been missing for over a year

Jakarta police chief Sofjan Jacoeb said he is being held as a suspect in cases including murder and illegal arms possession.

Tommy Suharto has been on the run since last November, when he failed to hand himself in to start an 18-month jail sentence.

The corruption conviction was controversially overturned by the supreme court last month, but Tommy remained at large.

Reporters saw Tommy Suharto arrive at Jakarta police headquarters, wearing a white T-shirt and a blue cap but without his trademark moustache.

Police officers arrested the 39-year-old at 1000 GMT (1700 local time). He is to remain in police custody overnight.

Tommy's lawyers were on their way to meet their client at the police station.

Year-long search

Police have said they have evidence to link Tommy to the 26 July drive-by shooting of Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, a judge who upheld his prison sentence on appeal.

They say two suspects alleged that Tommy - real name Hutomo Mandala - had given them firearms and paid them $11,600 to carry out the killing.

Police have been accused of bungling the year-long search for Tommy Suharto, and our correspondent says the arrest is a major breakthrough for them.

They have carried out a series of high-profile raids and searched Suharto family homes during the past year. They even dropped "wanted" posters from helicopters.

Tommy Suharto had been the only member of the Suharto family to be found guilty of corruption so far.

His family said he had gone into hiding because his life would have been endangered if he had gone to prison.

Former President Suharto was last year found to be too ill to face trial for alleged crimes committed during his 32-year rule.