Analysts blame debacle on intelligence failure

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Noted analysts blamed Saturday's bombings in Bali and Manado in North Sulawesi on Indonesia's lack of seriousness as well as its poor intelligence work in dealing with terrorism.

"State intelligence and law enforcers failed to anticipate several terror acts in the country, despite the fact that Indonesia's geographic and social conditions provide a safe haven for terrorism," military observer Kusnanto Anggoro said Monday.

He also criticized several state officials and politicians who had disregarded the presence of possible terrorist networks in the country.

"The denial reflects the government's inability to cope with terrorism," he told reporters at a press conference held by ProPatria, a working group for reform in the security sector.

The group called on the government to boost professionalism and accountability within the state intelligence apparatus in order to cope with terrorism.

"Strengthening state intelligence is a must, but it must not pave the way for Indonesia's military to return to politics as in the New Order regime," Kusnanto asserted.

Indonesia's intelligence thrived under the New Order, wherein the state intelligence apparatus was a powerful, and effective, institution that could make arrests without a court order.

Apart from that, the military, then called the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI), monopolized intelligence gathering and processing. Today, the military shares the responsibility with the Indonesian Police, which used to be part of ABRI. This shared burden, which has downgraded the military's capabilities and financial resources, has led to a rivalry between the two institutions.

Researcher Rifki Muna added that state intelligence must cooperate with international and regional intelligence to share information as a preventive measure against possible terror acts.

"As part of the international community, Indonesia may ask other country's to assist us in combating terrorism, which is a global phenomenon with international links. It's not only our problem," he said.

However, Rifki said that the government should only use intelligence information to investigate potential terror acts.

"We couldn't send someone or a group to jail with that kind of information (international intelligence) until law enforcers find evidence of a crime, especially since we are striving for democracy," he remarked.

Meanwhile, Fajrul Falaakh of the National Law Commission (KHN) and Rudy Satrio of the University of Indonesia urged the government to utilize appropriate laws to address terrorism.

"The government must employ the country's current instruments and institutions of the law while the antiterrorism bill is still being deliberated upon. Law enforcers could actually use the criminal code or laws here to charge suspected terrorists," Rudy said.

Fajrul suggested that the government ratify several international conventions on terrorism or issue an executive order as a temporary move before the passage of the antiterrorism bill.

"Terrorism is against humanity and negates universal morality. Therefore, there is no other way for the government but to take firm action against terrorism," Kusnanto said.