Antiterrorism bill finalized

NUSA DUA, BALI: Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said here on Monday that his office had completed the drafting of the antiterrorism bill.

"The draft law has been finalized after being discussed by the Cabinet. It will be presented to President Megawati (Soekarnoputri) tomorrow (Tuesday) or the day after tomorrow," he told journalists in Nusa Dusa, Bali, which was rocked by terrorist bombings on Saturday night.

However, Yusril could not say when the government would submit the antiterrorism bill to the House of Representatives for deliberation.

The minister hoped that the House would make the deliberation of the bill a priority after the barbaric Bali attacks killed nearly 200 people, mostly foreigners.

He asked all sides not to be suspicious of the controversial bill, which, according to many human rights advocates, could spark extensive human rights abuses across Indonesia.

The bill would be effective in allowing the security forces to take action against suspected terrorists, the minister said. --Antara