Access to Hambali discussed

JAKARTA: A United States antiterror team has met with Indonesian police to discuss giving them access to Indonesian terror-suspect Hambali, currently in U.S. custody.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the team visited Indonesia for the regional conference on counter-terrorism in Bali earlier this month.

"During the meeting we renewed our demands for access to question Hambali, while seeking information from the U.S. on the ongoing investigation (into Hambali)," Susilo said.

Hambali has been detained by the U.S. authorities since his capture in Thailand in August last year. Indonesia has been wanting to question the West Java native as he is believed to have masterminded the Oct. 12, 2002 Bali blasts and Aug. 5, 2003 J.W.Marriott Hotel bombing. -- JP