Immigration gets intel directorate<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In response to intelligence failures in the tracking of
\ntransnational criminals, the government has set up a new
\nintelligence directorate in the immigration office to more
\nclosely monitor people entering and leaving the country.<\/p>\n
Justice minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Friday the
\nfailure to track transnational criminals was partly caused by a
\nlack of coordination between intelligence units and the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office, the immigration office, the Army, the Navy, the
\nAir Force, the National Intelligence Body and other bodies.<\/p>\n
Intelligence failures were partly blamed for the Bali bombings
\nin 2002, which were followed by a series of other bombings.<\/p>\n
Unofficial investigations have found that intelligence
\nofficers within one country often fail to share information among
\nthemselves. The situation is even worse when it involves more
\nthan one country, even when there are strong indications of
\nregional and international networking among terror suspects.<\/p>\n
\"Previously, (the intelligence unit) was only a division
\nwithin the immigration office's supervision and penalty
\ndirectorate. The directorate's tasks were enormous, so the
\nintelligence unit was often quite neglected,\" Yusril said.<\/p>\n
Haryo Sasongko, a former head of the West Java office of the
\njustice ministry, was inaugurated on Friday as the new director
\nof intelligence and immigrant investigation.<\/p>\n
Intelligence officers will be posted at airports and seaports
\nacross the country to monitor both Indonesians and foreigners
\nentering and leave the country.<\/p>\n
The data they collect must be shared with other intelligence
\nbodies, all of which fall under the coordination of the National
\nIntelligence Body (BIN), Yusril said.<\/p>\n
\"The immigration office's intelligence plays an important part
\nin preventing possible transnational crimes, including drug
\ntrafficking, terrorism and the trafficking in women and
\nchildren,\" Yusril said.<\/p>\n
The establishment of the intelligence directorate within the
\nimmigration office followed a meeting on political and security
\naffairs, during which it was decided to improve the performance
\nof state intelligence, Yusril said.<\/p>\n
BIN is currently completing a bill on intelligence that will
\ngive the body the legal power to arrest suspects, which it says
\nit needs to prevent terror attacks.<\/p>\n
Activists have warned that the bill could endanger civil
\nliberties by putting too much power in the hands of BIN, which
\nwould be allowed to set up offices at the provincial and district
\nlevels. They have expressed concern that BIN's new powers could
\nbe used to suppress political dissent.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/immigration-gets-intel-directorate-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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