ASEAN solidarity remains sound amid terrorism issue<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Different approaches to fighting terrorism would not undermine
\nASEAN solidarity, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Indonesians might be arrested in neighboring countries as part
\nof the crackdown on terror, but there was no cause for alarm as
\nlong as suspects were given their proper legal rights, Hassan
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Playing down concerns about a series of recent arrests of
\nIndonesian citizens in ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian
\nNations) countries, Hassan said efforts to maintain security
\nshould not be seen as attempts by one country to disgrace
\nanother.<\/p>\n
"Should they arrest our citizens with a strong legal case that
\nthey violated certain regulations, it is simply because it is
\nnecessary for the countries to maintain their security. They
\nnever intended to hurt our reputation," Hassan told The Jakarta
\nPost on Friday.<\/p>\n
"Personal relations among ASEAN leaders are really close and
\nwe are cooperating in fighting terrorism. The ties remain solid."<\/p>\n
Last week police in the Philippines arrested three
\nIndonesians, Agus Dwikarna, Tamsil Linrung and Abdul Jamal
\nBalfas, who will be charged with possession of materials to make
\na bomb and immigration violations.<\/p>\n
Philippine authorities in January arrested another Indonesian,
\nFathur Rohman al-Ghozi, for the alleged possession of explosives.<\/p>\n
Tensions flared between Indonesia and Singapore last month
\nafter the city-state's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew accused
\nIndonesia of being a safe harbor for terrorists.<\/p>\n
In response to international demands that Indonesia do more to
\nfight terrorism, the Government has insisted since the September
\n11 terrorist attacks that it takes the problem seriously.<\/p>\n
Security officials here have said there was no evidence to
\nsupport claims from overseas that the terrorist network al-Qaeda
\nhas active cells in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Hassan said he believed the arrests of Indonesian nationals
\nwere not made arbitrarily and would not disrupt relations with
\nthe countries involved.<\/p>\n
He said he was pleased that the legal processes for the
\ndetained Indonesians had been conducted transparently, and the
\nGovernment had been able to follow their cases.<\/p>\n
The minister brushed aside any suggestion that other nations
\nmight try to take advantage of high-profile terror arrests.<\/p>\n
There has been a speculation that the Philippines, which is
\nbusy handling Muslim rebels, and Singapore and Malaysia, where
\nradical Islamic groups are also active, are seeking to advance
\ntheir own national interests by taking a tough stance on
\nsuspected terrorists.<\/p>\n
"Every country sets its own national interests, but there must
\nbe certain conditions and bases for those objectives, which
\ncannot be pursued by capturing our citizens. We respect them as
\nlong as they can provide solid reasons for making the arrests,"
\nhe said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-solidarity-remains-sound-amid-terrorism-issue-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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