BIN seeks more teeth in dealing with terrorism

BIN seeks more teeth in dealing with terrorism

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) demanded on Friday that it be
given extra powers that would enable it to carry out crucial
tasks to prevent terrorist attacks throughout the country.

Deputy chief of BIN As'at Said stated that BIN should be given
more authority, than the current level that only includes
authentication of preliminary reports from investigators.

"Concerning preventive action, the intelligence officers,
especially BIN, have not been given sufficient power," As'at told
a hearing of the House committee deliberating the terrorism bill
on Friday.

Also at the hearing were Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen.
Endriartono Sutarto and Senior Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia
Anwar Nasution.

Endriartono, who also briefed legislators on terrorism,
concurred with As'at, saying that state security forces needed
more powers to combat terrorism.

According to As'at, extra authority was necessary to prevent
terror acts by arresting suspected terrorists before they can
blow something up or kill loads of people. BIN, he added, could
be allowed to detain some suspects for four days for questioning
to assist the investigation.

Article 26 of the terrorism bill stipulates (in an attempt) to
obtain enough evidence before starting an investigation, that the
state investigators could use reports provided by intelligence
officials that have been authenticated by the head of BIN.

In the explanatory section of that article, the evidence
refers to that with which someone could be suspected of
committing a terrorist act.

The article will amend the intelligence body's authorities
stipulated in the government regulation in lieu of a law on
antiterrorism, which remains the current standard. The regulation
has been widely criticized, by those who feel they could be
targeted, as an opportunity for rights violations.

During the hearing, which was presided over by committee
chairman Ibrahim Ambong of Golkar, Endriartono acknowledged that
there were fears of a possible revival of an authoritarian regime
should the state security apparatus be given extra power.

The general, however, assured such a condition would not
happen.

"Situations have changed. If the current government reinstates
authoritarianism, it will certainly be opposed by protesters,"
Endriartono said.

A number of legislators said they would reject the demand to
give BIN more power.

J.E. Sahetapy and Trimedya Panjaitan from the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) warned that the
power given to BIN would upset the judicial system.

"Investigative powers given to BIN will create problems with
the criminal judicial system. The right to investigate should be
in the hands of the police," Sahetapy said.

Trimedya added that the power of investigation given to BIN
would overlap with the police authority. "That would be a
setback," he said.

Previously, criminal law expert Loebby Loeqman also rejected
any article, which gives BIN power over judicial matters.

Meanwhile deputy BI Governor Anwar Nasution spoke about the
need for an article which deals with freezing bank accounts of
terrorists.