Police question students over terrorism connection<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Police began on Friday the questioning of the brother of top
\nterrorist suspect Hambali and his five fellow students over their
\nalleged involvement in several terror attacks in Indonesia, just
\nafter their arrival from Pakistan overnight.<\/p>\n
National Police director of antiterrorism Brig. Gen. Pranowo
\nsaid the students were questioned under Law No. 15\/2003 on
\nantiterrorism, which allows the police to detain the students up
\nto a week without a warrant.<\/p>\n
\"We are questioning them in connection with several acts of
\nterrorism in Indonesia,\" Pranowo said.<\/p>\n
Rusman Gunawan, alias Gun Gun, the brother of Hambali,
\nMohammad Syaifudin, Ilham Sofyandi, David Pintarto, Furqon
\nAbdullah and Muhammad Anwar As-Shadaqqi arrived here at 10 p.m.
\non Thursday and were put in the custody of Jakarta Police.<\/p>\n
They were arrested by the Pakistani authorities in Karachi
\nearly in September for their alleged involvement in terrorist
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National
\nIntelligence Agency and National Police had been sent to Pakistan
\nto carry out a cross-examination of the students and take them
\nhome.<\/p>\n
Gun Gun has admitted to having sent US$50,000 and
\ntelecommunications equipment to his brother Hambali, who is
\nbelieved to be the leader of the Al-Qaeda-linked Jamaah Islamiyah
\n(JI) regional terrorist network.<\/p>\n
JI has been blamed for a string of terrorist attacks in the
\nregion, including the Bali bombings on Oct. 12, 2002 and the JW
\nMarriott Hotel attack in Jakarta on Aug. 5, 2003.<\/p>\n
Hambali has been in U.S. custody at an undisclosed location
\nsince October, following his capture in Thailand in August.<\/p>\n
Pranowo declined to reveal the results of the interrogations
\neither in Pakistan or Indonesia saying that the police were in
\nthe process of questioning them.<\/p>\n
National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko said the
\npolice would soon inform the students' relatives of their
\ndetention.<\/p>\n
Soenarko said the police had not decided whether the students
\nwere witnesses or suspects.<\/p>\n
\"Just wait for the interrogation first because the results can
\nlead in every direction,\" he said.<\/p>\n
One of the students' lawyers, Achmad Michdan, said the police
\nhad not informed them and the students' families.<\/p>\n
\"I just knew from the press that my clients had arrived in
\nJakarta. The police have not contacted us or the families,\" said
\nAchmad of the Muslim Lawyers Team.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-question-students-over-terrorism-connection-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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