WIRANTO, Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, was exceptionally busy as the December 2 mass rally approached. He led one meeting after another, ensuring that measures to secure the situation were in place when the 'Action to Defend Islam III' rally took place on that day.

When Tempo met Wiranto, 69, at his Central Jakarta office for an interview last week, the former Armed Forces commander had just ended a coordination meeting wit