Indonesia regrets Thaksin's comments on radical groups<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government regretted on Monday Thai Prime Minister Thaksin
\nSinawarta's statement accusing Indonesian radicals of helping
\nMuslim militants in southern Thailand.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security
\nAffairs Widodo A.S. said, however, said Indonesia would settle
\nthe issue through diplomatic channels.<\/p>\n
\"We regret the statement,\" Widodo said after attending a
\nCabinet meeting chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.<\/p>\n
Thanksin blamed Indonesian radicals over the weekend for
\nfomenting unrest in the kingdom's troubled south, where more than
\n560 people have died this year.<\/p>\n
\"They got (their) radical ideas from studying in Indonesia or
\nfrom friends in Indonesia and then trained in Indonesia and
\nMalaysia,\" AFP reported Thaksin's remark to a radio announcer
\nover the weekend.<\/p>\n
Thaksin did not provide any evidence linking Indonesian
\nradicals with their Thai counterparts.<\/p>\n
The statement, which has irked the Indonesia government, was
\npart of discussions during the limited Cabinet meeting on
\nsecurity preparations for the coming Christmas and New Year
\ncelebrations.<\/p>\n
Widodo, who was accompanied by Police chief Gen. Da'i
\nBachtiar, urged Thaksin to present proof of his allegations.<\/p>\n
He stressed there was strong cooperation between the two
\ncountries in fighting terrorism and an exchange of information
\nshould be conducted should one of the countries note such
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
\"Muslims here are very moderate,\" the senior minister said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono, meanwhile, said that
\nIndonesia would seek clarification from Thailand about Thaksin's
\nstatement.<\/p>\n
\"We can understand Thailand's worries, but such fears should
\nnot become reasons to blame Indonesia,\" he said. Indonesia might
\nformally protest the statement, he said.<\/p>\n
According to Juwono, radical groups existed not merely in
\nThailand and Indonesia, but also in other parts of the world. In
\n1980s, these militant groups set up a network called the South
\nEastern Islamic Community, with some of its members undergoing
\ntraining in several remote places in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Thailand's (statement) requires further proof through either
\nlegal evidence or intelligence data,\" Juwono said.<\/p>\n
Ministry of foreign affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa said
\nthe accusation was baseless due to the absence of evidence.<\/p>\n
\"The statement by Prime Minister Thaksin, is notable for its
\nlack of specifics and the absence of prior diplomatic approaches,
\nis extremely difficult to comprehend or accept,\" he told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Insp. Gen. (ret) Ansjaad Mbai, head of the antiterrorism desk
\nat the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Political and
\nSecurity Affairs, meanwhile, told the Post that Thailand had
\nasked Indonesian security officers to monitor dozens of Thai
\nstudents studying in Indonesia on the grounds that \"they (the
\nstudents) are likely to join Muslim radical groups here (in
\nIndonesia).\"<\/p>\n
\"I have disseminated the information to related institutions
\nhere, but as of today, no reports have been filed back to me,\"
\nAnsjaad said.<\/p>\n
\"We should not overreact because the number of students and
\nthe names of schools they are studying will soon be obtained,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-regrets-thaksins-comments-on-radical-groups-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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