Government insists JI not exist in Indonesia<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After supporting the inclusion of Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) on the
\nUnited Nations list of terrorists, the government insisted on
\nMonday that the al-Qaeda-linked terror group did not exist in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that the government had never
\nlinked the organization to any radical groups in this country.<\/p>\n
\"From our police investigation Jamaah Islamiyah does not exist
\nin the country. However, we will conduct an investigation into
\nthat possibility as it is required by the UN,\" he said in a press
\nbriefing on Monday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia was among 45 countries in support of Australia's
\nproposal to include JI on the UN terrorist list. The UN declared
\nJI a terrorist group on Friday for its links to al-Qaeda, Osama
\nbin Laden's brainchild, responsible for the Sept. 11 attack on
\nthe United States last year.<\/p>\n
As a UN member, Indonesia has an obligation to support the
\ndecision in all its forms, including to freeze any assets, impose
\ntravel bans and stop any possible military activities related to
\nJI.<\/p>\n
Susilo once admitted that three Indonesian citizens, the late
\nAbdullah Sungkar, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and Riduan Isamuddin, aka
\nHambali, were the top leaders of the organization.<\/p>\n
The government has ordered the arrest of Ba'asyir in
\nconnection with several bombing cases in the country, which
\nSusilo himself categorized as terrorist actions.<\/p>\n
However, the government is in denial of even their own recent
\nstatements, and have ruled out the possibility of JI or any of
\nits cell's existence here.<\/p>\n
\"We are supporting the inclusion (of JI on UN terror list) as
\nwe respect the investigations done by Singapore and Malaysia
\nregarding the presence of the organization in their countries,\"
\nSusilo said.<\/p>\n
On Friday, Susilo said that the three Indonesians were only
\nleaders of JI when they were in Malaysia 14 years ago.<\/p>\n
\"That is why the government will not immediately accuse these
\nleaders as part of JI now. We will go through with the
\ninvestigation as stipulated in the UN resolution, but we will do
\nit using our own laws,\" the minister emphasized.<\/p>\n
Susilo added that only with concrete evidence would the
\ngovernment link Ba'asyir or certain Muslim groups in the country
\nwith JI.<\/p>\n
\"The government is aware that the inclusion of JI has raised
\nconcerns from many Muslims as they are afraid they could be
\nconsidered as having an affiliation with JI,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Be sure that the government will not do that. We will not
\nrelate any group in Indonesia to JI without hard and fast
\nevidence,\" Susilo asserted.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-insists-ji-not-exist-in-indonesia-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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