U.S. official regrets jail term reduction for militant leader<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A top U.S. official expressed dismay on Wednesday over the
\nimminent release of Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, saying
\nWashington believed he had "intense and deep involvement" in
\nterrorist activities.<\/p>\n
Speaking after a meeting here with Coordinating Minister for
\nPolitical and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, U.S.
\nHomeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge expected to see Ba'asyir be
\nbrought to justice on terrorism charges.<\/p>\n
"Hopefully in due time, at least from our country's point of
\nview and appreciation of the intense and deep involvement of
\nBa'asyir in both the execution and planning of terrorist
\nactivities ... at some point in time he will be brought to
\njustice in a different way," Ridge said.<\/p>\n
Ridge arrived here to the backdrop of the Supreme Court
\nupholding Ba'asyir's conviction on immigration violations but
\nreducing his sentence to 18 months.<\/p>\n
The top court also annulled the lower courts' ruling that
\nBa'asyir set up Jamaah Islamiyah, an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist
\norganization blamed for the Bali blasts in 2002 and the JW
\nMarriott Hotel bombing in Jakarta in 2003.<\/p>\n
The cleric will walk free on April 4 as a consequence of the
\nsentence reduction.<\/p>\n
Ba'asyir has consistently denied being a terror chief,
\nalthough several of his followers have been convicted and
\nsentenced to death for the Bali attacks.<\/p>\n
It was only after a tip from terrorist suspect Umar al-Faruq
\nthat police arrested Ba'asyir after the Bali blasts in 2002.
\nNational Intelligence Agency chief A.M. Hendropriyono then handed
\nover Faruq to the U.S., a move that sparked protest here.<\/p>\n
Ridge did praise the Indonesian government's efforts to fight
\nterrorism, including the convictions of the perpetrators of the
\nBali and Marriott Hotel bombings.<\/p>\n
Susilo said Indonesia would continue its intelligence
\noperations to make sure that "there is no room in Indonesia for
\nterrorists to consolidate, to reorganize and to plan further
\nstrikes".<\/p>\n
Ridge met with Susilo to explain the reasons behind
\nWashington's decision to deploy agents at U.S. embassies and
\nconsulates in Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan and the United
\nArab Emirates as part of a sweeping overhaul of immigration
\nprocedures.<\/p>\n
Ridge stressed that "such policy is imposed on everyone coming
\nto our country and we did not discriminate against nations or
\nreligions".<\/p>\n
Later on Wednesday, Ridge met with President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri to underline the U.S.'s commitment and solidarity
\nwith the Indonesian government in fighting terrorism.<\/p>\n
"I came here to express America's solidarity with the ongoing
\nefforts to secure our nations and our citizens.<\/p>\n
"The U.S. has reaffirmed its commitment to continue to work
\nclosely and cooperatively with Indonesia in this mutual
\nendeavor," Ridge said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-official-regrets-jail-term-reduction-for-militant-leader-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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