A suspected JI senior member released<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Police released on Friday one of nine alleged members of the
\nJamaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist network, who had been arrested
\nlast week, due to lack of evidence.<\/p>\n
City Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara said that
\npolice had released Suyono alias Yono alias Abu Farauk alias
\nSyukur, 41, who had confessed during earlier investigations that
\nhe was a former Wakalah, a JI regional area leader, in Lampung.<\/p>\n
\"Police investigators have the authority to release him.
\nShould they do so, it must be because there is not sufficient
\nevidence (to detain him longer),\" he told reporters after Friday
\nprayers.<\/p>\n
Police arrested Suyono in Kaliabang, North Bekasi, on July 8
\nat around 4 p.m. together with Pranata Yuda alias Mustofa alias
\nAbu Tholut alias Yono alias Imron, 42.<\/p>\n
Makbul admitted that police had failed to prove Suyono had
\nbeen involved in wrongdoings despite his alleged position in JI.<\/p>\n
(But) \"Police are still detaining Mustofa not only because of
\nhis position (in the JI structure), but also for his illegal
\npossession of firearms and plotting (attacks),\" he said.<\/p>\n
Police investigators said that Mustofa claimed he was a former
\nhead of the JI regional area, Mantiqi III, comprising of
\nSulawesi, Sabah in Malaysia, and Mindanau in the Philippines. He
\nalso said that he had received military training in Afghanistan
\nbetween 1987 and 1988 and had become a trainer for the Academic
\nMilitary, Al Islami Al Jamaah, in Muaskar Hudaibiyah, in the
\nSouth Philippines.<\/p>\n
Mustofa also admitted to involvement in the war in Afghanistan
\nand the bloody conflict in Poso, Central Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The fate of six other suspected JI members, who are under
\npolice custody, remains unclear.<\/p>\n
Police believe that the group is ready to launch attacks on
\npublic places as they found 23 of 26 bombs, allegedly prepared by
\nJI members, were ready to be activated. They also believe that
\nthe group will attack eight places, including Mal Ciputra in
\nGrogol, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Safety and Security Manager of Ciputra Mall, Puthut Subagio,
\nadmitted that the mall has beefed up security in anticipation of
\npossible attacks, reportedly planned by JI members.<\/p>\n
\"All visitors (to the mall) are subject to security checks and
\nbody searches. We apologize for the inconvenience caused,\" he
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Puthut said his security guards were backed up by undercover
\npolice detectives.<\/p>\n
Police managed to arrest nine suspected JI members in several
\ncities in Java between July 4 and July 11. They also seized
\nammunition, explosives and rifles from the suspects.<\/p>\n
One of the key suspects, Ikhwanuddin alias Asim, who police
\nbelieve transported explosives from Semarang to Jakarta last
\nmonth, committed suicide before police could complete their
\ninterrogation of him.<\/p>\n
Police charged the suspects with the newly endorsed Government
\nRegulation, in lieu of Law No. 1\/2002 on antiterrorism.<\/p>\n
The regulation states that based on prima facie evidence,
\nsuspected terrorists can only be detained for seven days and
\nfurther investigated over a period of six months of questioning
\nand prosecution.<\/p>\n
The United Nations has listed JI as a terrorist network.
\nPolice believe that JI was behind the Bali bombings which killed
\n202 people, mostly foreign tourists.<\/p>\n
Alleged JI spiritual leader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is being tried
\nat the Central Jakarta District Court for treason and immigration
\nviolations.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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