Police release alleged JI-linked militant<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Police released on Wednesday an activist and alleged member of
\nthe Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist group after detaining him for
\ntwo days on charges of falsifying documents.<\/p>\n
Dutch citizen Abdul Wahid Kadungga carried a Tangerang ID card
\nwhen he was arrested on Monday. Although reportedly linked to JI,
\npolice said his arrest was not connected to the series of
\nbombings it believes were the work of the organization.<\/p>\n
\"My only crime is that I have a Jakarta ID card,\" Kadungga was
\nquoted as saying by El Shinta radio.<\/p>\n
He was charged with violating Article 263 of the Criminal Code
\non document falsification. The article carries a maximum penalty
\nof six years in prison.<\/p>\n
Police earlier said Kadungga entered Indonesia in 1999 holding
\na Dutch passport but was later caught carrying an ID card issued
\nin Tangerang, Banten.<\/p>\n
Police have not found any evidence linking Kadungga to the
\nBali bombings or tying him to the JI terrorist group.<\/p>\n
Following the Dec. 4 bombing of a McDonald's outlet in
\nMakassar, South Sulawesi, East Kalimantan Police detained
\nKadungga over his possible connection to the bombing, as well as
\nthe bombings in Bali.<\/p>\n
They released him after two days on Friday last week. The
\ndecision to let him walk free led to some public debate until
\nKadungga was re-detained on Monday.<\/p>\n
A report by the Brussels-based International Crisis Group
\n(ICG) says Kadungga is a supporter of the detained Muslim cleric
\nAbu Bakar Ba'asyir, JI's alleged spiritual leader.<\/p>\n
Police arrested Ba'asyir over a wave of church bombings in
\n2000, which it believes were the work of JI. The underground
\ngroup reportedly aims to create a Southeast Asian Islamic state
\nand is known to have bases in Singapore and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Ba'asyir and Kadungga were among the many Muslim activists who
\nfled former president Soeharto's crackdown on Islamic movements
\nduring the '80s.<\/p>\n
Kadungga gained Dutch citizenship in 1991 and returned to
\nIndonesia in 1999, a year after Soeharto fell from power.<\/p>\n
ICG said Kadungga \"was believed to have had direct links with
\nal-Qaeda through his ties to the Egyptian-led Gama Islami\".<\/p>\n
Gama Islami, it said, was made up of a core group of bin
\nLaden's al-Qaeda network.<\/p>\n
Kadungga is also suspected of having links with the Makassar-
\nbased Committee for Upholding Islamic Law, according to the ICG.<\/p>\n
He denied having any links to terrorist groups, although he
\nadmitted to knowing Ba'asyir.<\/p>\n
Police have arrested 15 suspects in connection with the Bali
\nbombings and is searching for 11 more. Charges against the 15 are
\nbeing prepared so that they can stand trial by February.<\/p>\n
Attorney General M.A. Rachman said on Wednesday his office
\nwould work at full speed to ensure the trials began by February.<\/p>\n
\"Because of the importance of these cases ... we are sending
\nfive prosecutors from our head office in Jakarta to help,\"
\nRachman said as quoted by Reuters.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-release-alleged-ji-linked-militant-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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