Police up pressure on Ba'asyir case<\/p>\n
P.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Police are intensifying their investigation into Abu Bakar
\nBa'asyir's suspected involvement in terrorist activities in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Friday that
\npolice had gathered sufficient evidence and testimonies that
\ncould implicate the Muslim cleric in terrorist attacks across
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"I am not so sure whether he can be said to be a suspect. I
\nhaven't received the report yet. But yes, we're heading in that
\ndirection (declaring Ba'asyir a suspect),\" said Da'i on Friday.<\/p>\n
Ba'asyir, who has been labeled a terrorist leader by
\nneighboring countries Singapore, Australia and the United States,
\nis currently serving an 18-month jail term for an immigration
\nviolation and document forgery. His release is due on April 29.<\/p>\n
Da'i's statement came barely one month after the U.S. handed
\nover the latest transcript of their interrogation of suspected
\nterrorist Riduan Isamuddin, alias Hambali, who has been detained
\nunder U.S. custody at an undisclosed place since his capture last
\nAugust in Thailand.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian-born Hambali is believed to be a leader in both
\nregional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah and Osama bin Laden's
\nal-Qaeda.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has been hit by a series of terrorist attacks since
\nDecember 2000, including the Bali bombings that killed over 202
\npeople on Oct. 12, 2002 and the Aug. 5, 2003 JW Marriott Hotel
\nattack that killed 14 people.<\/p>\n
Key suspects in the Bali bombings, most of whom have been
\nsentenced to either death or life, admitted to meeting Ba'asyir
\nbefore the blasts, but fell short of implicating him.<\/p>\n
Antiterrorism Director VI Brig. Gen. Pranowo at National
\nPolice Headquarters said the investigation into the cleric had
\nbeen going on for some time.<\/p>\n
\"We have already run a number of checks on the cleric since
\nthe Bali bombing trials, but the evidence and facts we had
\ngathered were not strong enough. We're now working on some new
\nevidence,\" said Pranowo.<\/p>\n
He said police would not use material from the U.S.' Hambali
\ninterrogation, as it had no legal validity as evidence under the
\nIndonesian judiciary.<\/p>\n
Instead, the police will use another source of information
\nthat was submittable to Indonesian courts, but he declined to
\nelaborate.<\/p>\n
Ba'asyir's lawyer, Mohammad Ali, told The Jakarta Post on
\nFriday that the police planned to question his client next
\nWednesday. He said four officers from police headquarters had
\ncome to Salemba Penitentiary on Thursday to ask permission to
\nbring Ba'asyir to headquarters for questioning.<\/p>\n
After discussing the matter with Mohammad, the interrogation
\nwas scheduled for March 7 at National Police Headquarters.<\/p>\n
Mohammad said the police summons only mentioned that a dossier
\non the cleric needed to be drawn up in accordance with the
\nAntiterrorism Law.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-up-pressure-on-baasyir-case-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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