Muslim leaders' help needed to arrest suspects<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Surabaya<\/p>\n
Following the police move to search pesantren (Islamic
\nboarding schools) for the Bali bomb suspects, a respected Muslim
\nleader pleaded on Wednesday that influential Muslim clerics be
\ninvolved in the effort to apprehend the suspects to avoid
\nupsetting Muslims.<\/p>\n
Ahmad Syafii Maarif, the chairman of the second largest Muslim
\norganization, the Muhammadiyah, said he supported police efforts,
\nbut cautioned that they should not be excessive in searching
\nboarding schools for suspects.<\/p>\n
\"I support the police's effort to investigate several
\npesantren should strong evidence prove that these places are
\nharboring suspected terrorists.<\/p>\n
\"But the involvement of some influential Ulemas is necessary
\nas this is a sensitive issue,\" Syafii told The Jakarta Post on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
The head of the police joint investigative team of the Bali
\nbombing, Insp. Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika, said on Tuesday that
\nhis men were negotiating with pesantren leaders over the handover
\nof suspected terrorists who may be hiding at some schools.<\/p>\n
The spokesman for the investigative team, Brig. Gen. Edward
\nAritonang, refused on Wednesday to elaborate on the development
\nof talks with pesantren leaders, saying only that \"the police are
\napproaching all parties\".<\/p>\n
Aritonang also said that the police would not raid schools
\nunless they had strong evidence that supported their move to
\nsearch their premises.<\/p>\n
\"We will raid the schools only if we have strong indications
\ncompelling the officers to search those places,\" Aritonang said
\nat the National Police Headquarters.<\/p>\n
The police are searching for six suspects: Imam Samudra, Ali
\nImron, Dulmatin, Wayan, Idris and Patek. The police said the
\nsuspects were all in the country, and some were likely hiding in
\npesantren in Java.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Ibnu Chanifah, the deputy director of the Al Mukmin
\nboarding school in Ngruki, Surakarta, said on Wednesday that he
\nsuspected that the police would raid his school because it was
\nled by Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the alleged leader of the Jamaah
\nIslamiyah (JI) terrorist group.<\/p>\n
Ibnu said searches would likely be conducted when the schools
\nwere out for the Idul Fitri holidays to avoid any conflict with
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
Students start their month-long vacation on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"We have known such indications (of police searches). We will
\nwelcome the officers, provided that they act in accordance with
\nprocedures and have good intentions,\" said Ibnu.<\/p>\n
Calls for the police to respect Islamic boarding schools also
\ncame from other Muslim leaders, including Vice President Hamzah
\nHaz.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/muslim-leaders-help-needed-to-arrest-suspects-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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