Police deny U.S. intervention in Ba'asyir arrest<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik and A. Junaidi, Jakarta<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar rejected allegations
\nthat the arrest of Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir was made due
\nto U.S. intervention, through its Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph
\nL. Boyce.<\/p>\n
\"It's not a foreign intervention. I have met Boyce, but only
\ndiscussed cooperation and assistance,\" Da'i told a hearing of the
\njoint Commissions I and II for political, security and legal
\naffairs on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He claimed the arrest was based on strong evidences of the
\nalleged involvement of Ba'asyir in terrorist attacks, but refused
\nto go into detail, arguing that it would affect the probe.<\/p>\n
He complained Boyce's frequent statements on Ba'asyir, who has
\nbeen accused of leading al-Queda-linked terrorist organization
\nJamaah Islamiyah (JI), had also hampered the police
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
Ba'asyir was released from Salemba Penitentiary on April 30
\nbut was immediately rearrested. Before the rearrest, hundreds of
\nthe cleric's supporters clashed with police outside the prison.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Boyce said the United States was pleased that
\nIndonesian police had rearrested Ba'asyir, but Washington should
\nnot have to apologize for the controversy over its view of him.<\/p>\n
\"We welcome the decision by the police to requestion him and
\nto take the action they did last week,\" Boyce was quoted by
\nReuters as saying on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"We do believe there are some concerns that still need to be
\naddressed in terms of what his role has been vis-a-vis JI and
\nsome of the tragic events that happened here,\" he was quoted as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
In the weeks leading up to his arrest, public support grew for
\nthe 65-year-old cleric over accusations the United States, and
\nBoyce in particular, was trying to interfere in Indonesia's
\ninternal affairs by having Ba'asyir kept behind bars.<\/p>\n
Washington has accused Ba'asyir of deep involvement in terror.
\nBoyce said the debate over Ba'asyir had been colored by the
\naccusations of U.S. interference. He denied the accusations.<\/p>\n
\"In an interdependent world, in a global war on terror, where
\nthe U.S. clearly has a lead role in what is going on in that
\ncampaign, I think it's important we do express our views on how
\nthat war on terror is going,\" Boyce said.<\/p>\n
Some analysts say going after Ba'asyir again poses a challenge
\nto Indonesia, especially with sentiment for Washington so low due
\nto the war in Iraq and other U.S. policies in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
Police have said Ba'asyir would be questioned about attacks
\nincluding the Bali blasts, in which 202 people were killed.<\/p>\n
Previous charges against Ba'asyir of treason and of heading JI
\nwere dismissed or overturned. Ba'asyir denies links to terrorism.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-deny-us-intervention-in-baasyir-arrest-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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