24 people held for alleged JI links, Da'i says

Eva C. Komandjaja and Blontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Surakarta

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar confirmed on Friday that at least 24 people have been arrested for their alleged links with Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) which has been blamed for a series of terrorist attacks in Indonesia.

The arrests by the police's antiterror detachment were made, despite the fact that the government has never declared JI an outlawed organization in the predominantly-Muslim country.

However, the police have repeatedly said JI was the regional terror group that masterminded the 2002 Bali attack, the 2003 J.W. Marriott hotel bombing and last year's bomb blast outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

The United Nations Security Council has included JI in the list of international terrorist groups affiliated with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.

Two Malaysian fugitives Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Mohd. Top, both senior JI members, are believed to have planned the bombing. They are still at large and could launch further attacks, police say.

Speaking after the celebration of the 59th police anniversary in Cikeas, West Java, Da'i said the 24 suspects were arrested during raids in Central Java but refused to identify them for fear that their accomplices would flee.

He promised to give the details of the suspects after seven days as regulated under the antiterror laws.

However, a police source in Central Java said one of the 24 arrested was identified as Iqbal, who is suspected of being closely linked to Azahari.

Iqbal was arrested in Wonogiri, Central Java, on Wednesday afternoon, the source added.

Apart from Iqbal, the owner of the house where he was apprehended was also detained. He was named as Joko Sumanto. Four people who worked at Joko's shop -- identified as Anto, Dani Candra, Gino and Hana, were also nabbed.

Iqbal was one of the police's main targets for his alleged involvement in the Marriott hotel blast that killed 12 people.

The source also said the police's antiterror detachment also arrested six people in Masaran, Sragen regency, three in Boyolali regency, three in Sukoharjo and six others in the neighboring regencies of Temanggung, Wonosobo and Magelang.

"Twelve of the 24 suspects had prepared to go to the Philippines," said a senior officer at the Central Java Police who wished to remain anonymous.

However, the officer could not say whether their planned trip to the Philippines was aimed at fleeing Indonesia or to join a military camp in southern Philippines.

Meanwhile, dozens of activists from the Anti-Kidnapping Front staged a demonstration in front of the Surakarta Police station on Friday against the recent arrests.

The protesters demanded the release of the 24 people, accusing the police of violating the Criminal Procedures Code (KUHAP) in detaining them.

"The police consider Muslim activists enemies of the state, who should therefore be intimidated and arrested," said protest coordinator Kholid Saifullah.

Kholid said that none of the arrested people were members of the Indonesian Mujahidin Assembly (MMI) led by elderly cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, who was jailed earlier this year over the terror attacks.

Kholid said there were 11 people from Wonogiri, who were detained, and not six as claimed by the police.

Surakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Abdul Madjid denied any knowledge about the reported arrests, saying he would examine whether there were any local people kidnapped or detained by his personnel.