A suspected JI senior member released
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Police released on Friday one of nine alleged members of the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist network, who had been arrested last week, due to lack of evidence.
City Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara said that police had released Suyono alias Yono alias Abu Farauk alias Syukur, 41, who had confessed during earlier investigations that he was a former Wakalah, a JI regional area leader, in Lampung.
"Police investigators have the authority to release him. Should they do so, it must be because there is not sufficient evidence (to detain him longer)," he told reporters after Friday prayers.
Police arrested Suyono in Kaliabang, North Bekasi, on July 8 at around 4 p.m. together with Pranata Yuda alias Mustofa alias Abu Tholut alias Yono alias Imron, 42.
Makbul admitted that police had failed to prove Suyono had been involved in wrongdoings despite his alleged position in JI.
(But) "Police are still detaining Mustofa not only because of his position (in the JI structure), but also for his illegal possession of firearms and plotting (attacks)," he said.
Police investigators said that Mustofa claimed he was a former head of the JI regional area, Mantiqi III, comprising of Sulawesi, Sabah in Malaysia, and Mindanau in the Philippines. He also said that he had received military training in Afghanistan between 1987 and 1988 and had become a trainer for the Academic Military, Al Islami Al Jamaah, in Muaskar Hudaibiyah, in the South Philippines.
Mustofa also admitted to involvement in the war in Afghanistan and the bloody conflict in Poso, Central Sulawesi.
The fate of six other suspected JI members, who are under police custody, remains unclear.
Police believe that the group is ready to launch attacks on public places as they found 23 of 26 bombs, allegedly prepared by JI members, were ready to be activated. They also believe that the group will attack eight places, including Mal Ciputra in Grogol, West Jakarta.
Safety and Security Manager of Ciputra Mall, Puthut Subagio, admitted that the mall has beefed up security in anticipation of possible attacks, reportedly planned by JI members.
"All visitors (to the mall) are subject to security checks and body searches. We apologize for the inconvenience caused," he told The Jakarta Post.
Puthut said his security guards were backed up by undercover police detectives.
Police managed to arrest nine suspected JI members in several cities in Java between July 4 and July 11. They also seized ammunition, explosives and rifles from the suspects.
One of the key suspects, Ikhwanuddin alias Asim, who police believe transported explosives from Semarang to Jakarta last month, committed suicide before police could complete their interrogation of him.
Police charged the suspects with the newly endorsed Government Regulation, in lieu of Law No. 1/2002 on antiterrorism.
The regulation states that based on prima facie evidence, suspected terrorists can only be detained for seven days and further investigated over a period of six months of questioning and prosecution.
The United Nations has listed JI as a terrorist network. Police believe that JI was behind the Bali bombings which killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.
Alleged JI spiritual leader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is being tried at the Central Jakarta District Court for treason and immigration violations.