House to summon Da'i over Ba'asyir terror probe<\/p>\n
P.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives has arranged a hearing with National
\nPolice chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar scheduled for early in May to
\nclarify the motives behind the probe into Muslim cleric Abu Bakar
\nBa'asyir for his alleged role in terrorist activities.<\/p>\n
"We want to know the police reasons for the investigation and
\nwhether foreign pressure and intervention are behind the move,"
\nsaid Ibrahim Ambong, chairman of Commission I for defense and
\nforeign affairs.<\/p>\n
The plan came after a visit by Reform faction members to the
\nSalemba Penitentiary on Friday in a show of support for the
\ncleric. Commission member A.M. Lutfi led the visit, the second by
\npoliticians after Prosperous Justice Party Chairman Hidayat
\nNurwahid a week before.<\/p>\n
Deputy chairman of Commission II for legal and home affairs
\nHamdan Zoelva told The Jakarta Post the commission was seeking a
\nseparate hearing with Da'i for the same purpose.<\/p>\n
"The police move has sparked suspicion in our society, because
\nit came as the cleric was about to leave prison," Hamdan, of the
\nMuslim-based Crescent Star Party, said.<\/p>\n
The strong allegation of foreign intervention in Ba'asyir's
\ncase emerged after Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif
\nadmitted to the media that U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L.
\nBoyce had personally asked him to persuade Gen. Da'i Bachtiar and
\nSupreme Court Chief Justice Bagir Manan to keep Ba'asyir in
\nprison.<\/p>\n
Boyce, however, denied allegations that he had intervened in
\nIndonesia's legal affairs, saying that it was a normal thing in
\ndiplomacy to give an opinion or comment on a particular incident,
\nsuch as Ba'asyir's case.<\/p>\n
Washington has expressed concern at the completion of
\nBa'asyir's jail term on April 30, asserting that the Muslim
\nfigure has deep involvement in terrorist activities.<\/p>\n
Police are scheduled to interrogate Ba'asyir as a suspect at
\nthe National Police Headquarters on Monday. Director VI for
\nAntiterrorism and Bombs Brig. Gen. Pranowo said the summons for
\nthe cleric was sent on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Pranowo said the terrorist suspect would be accompanied by his
\nlawyers during the interrogation.<\/p>\n
He hinted the police could detain the cleric for investigation
\nin accordance with Law No. 15\/2003 on terrorism.<\/p>\n
The detention means Ba'asyir will not walk free when he
\ncompletes his 18-month jail term for immigration offenses and
\ndocument fraud.<\/p>\n
According to Article 25, paragraph 2 of the draconian
\nantiterrorism law, investigators have the right to detain a
\nterrorist suspect for up to six months.<\/p>\n
Akhmad Kholid, one of Ba'asyir's lawyers, said they were ready
\nto assist the cleric. However, he suspected that the police "are
\nseeking every avenue to keep Uztad (Ba'asyir) in jail".<\/p>\n
Police named Ba'asyir on April 16 a terrorist suspect for his
\nalleged role in various bomb attacks that rocked the country over
\nthe past few years.<\/p>\n
The court had failed to prove accusations that Ba'asyir had
\nplanned to overthrow the government or plotted to kill Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri when she was the vice president.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-to-summon-dai-over-baasyir-terror-probe-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}