Government steps up anti-terrorist campaign<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia, called by foreign countries a safe haven for
\nterrorists, is now beginning to step up measures against the al-
\nQaeda network which has allegedly conducted a series of
\nactivities in the country, despite official denials for months.<\/p>\n
After admitting to have deported a senior al-Qaeda operative
\nOmar al-Faruq, officials here said that another man is being
\nquestioned on similar charges.<\/p>\n
National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Wednesday the
\nman, identified as a German citizen of Arabic descent, had been
\nin custody since Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
"We found documents in his house related to various problems
\nacross the country and other terror activities," Da'i said after
\na meeting on terrorism with President Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
"There are indications that the suspect was involved in a
\nnumber of conflicts in Indonesia. He was arrested in Jakarta,"
\nthe police chief said.<\/p>\n
The government is also pursuing reports of Muslim cleric Abu
\nBakar Ba'asyir, who foreign intelligence agencies have accused of
\nbeing one of the top terror masterminds in Southeast Asia,
\npossibly linked to al-Qaeda.<\/p>\n
"We are still investigating him, and so far we do not have
\nenough evidence to arrest him," Coordinating Minister for
\nPolitical and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said
\nafter the meeting.<\/p>\n
The minister admitted there had been activities by foreigners
\nand Indonesians that violated the law, but refused to admit that
\nany al-Qaeda remnants existed in the country.<\/p>\n
"The information (regarding the presence of al-Qaeda) may be
\ntrue, or it may not," Susilo remarked.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has come under fire from neighbors in Southeast Asia
\nfor not doing enough against many suspected terrorists, including
\nBa'asyir.<\/p>\n
Following the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on New York and Washington
\nlast year, dozens of Indonesian citizens were arrested by
\nSingapore, the Philippines and Malaysia for their alleged links
\nto terrorism.<\/p>\n
The most high-profile figures are Fathur Rochman Al-Ghozi and
\nAgus Dwikarna in Manila, who were arrested for illegal possession
\nof a large amount of explosive materials and alleged involvement
\nin radical Muslim movements based in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The latest arrest made against four Indonesians by the
\nPhilippine authorities last week in General Santos city.<\/p>\n
"The four Indonesians are suspected members of a terrorist
\ngroup, that's why they were arrested," armed forces spokesman
\nBrig. Gen. Eduardo Purificacion said Wednesday as quoted by AFP.<\/p>\n
The Philippines authority said one of the four was part of a
\nmilitant Southeast Asian Islamic group behind the deadly bombing
\nof a shopping mall in the southern Philippines earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Susilo said the embassy in Manila had sent a team to meet the
\ndetainees and to determine their nationality.<\/p>\n
The minister has admitted there was an intelligence operation
\nto arrest and deport al-Faruq in June to United States
\nauthorities. He is currently at the U.S. military base in
\nAfghanistan.<\/p>\n
Al-Faruq, who is married to an Indonesian woman, reportedly
\nplanned to murder Megawati, which has many asking, therefore, why
\nhe was deported if he committed crimes against the government
\nhere.<\/p>\n
Earlier Vice President Hamzah Haz and both the police and
\nmilitary chiefs claimed they had no knowledge of his arrest.<\/p>\n
"These activities serve as solid proof that our security is
\nworking. We will follow up on all information that we receive
\nfrom other countries," Susilo said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The minister underlined that the government would conduct the
\ninvestigation according to the country's law.<\/p>\n
Susilo further said that he hoped for better cooperation and
\naccess from other countries to follow up on alleged terrorist
\nactivities.<\/p>",
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