Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz confirmed that one of

Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz confirmed that one of
the most wanted suspect terrorist Hambali alias Riduan Isamudin,
who was caught in Thailand recently, has been undergoing
intensive investigation done by the U.S law enforcement
authority.

Hambali is believed to mastermind a number of terrorist
actions and bombings in Bali and other parts of Indonesia.
Hambali was found hiding and moving somewhere in several
Southeast Asian countries until he was captured by the US and
Thai authorities and was brought the United States for further
investigation. Hambali is also believed to be a key figure who
can disclose terrorist network in the region.

In a special interview with Indonesian Journalists including
The Jakarta Post a day before the 2nd commemoration of World
Trade Center Tragedy in his Pentagon office in Washington,
Wolfowitz again made it clear that investigation on Hambali is
being conducted by professionals who have a lot of worldwide
experience in dealing with this issue.

"I know they are good in communication with Indonesian law
enforcement authority. They certainly want to get help and
information from Indonesia," he pointed out.

He believed that people who are now investigating Hambali
understand the desire of a country to have access to its citizen
who is involved in this kind of things.

Wolfowitz is the first high-ranking US official to give
comment on Hambali.

He commented there are many possibilities about Hambali being
brought to Indonesia. But he said that in every step that is
being taken, one has to ask question whether they have done
anything they can and take advantage of what this man knows to
prevent further terrorist act.

"We had in our system with people that we detain in Guantanamo
(Cuba) one of our consideration obviously that we want to bring
them to justice to get trial but the first requirement is to try
to make sure that we get as much information as they know to
prevent any terrorist actions."

In case of Hambali, the focus , he said, is trying to make
sure that we get as much information as possible to breakup
terrorist network. "And it is a process that is working well," he
added.

The cooperation between between the United States and
Indonesia since the Bali bombing has been extended. And Indonesia
has been doing effectively in dealing with the issue.

"And it was unfortunate case that we did not take care of
think terrorism as serious matter before the 9/11. The 9/11 was
the wake-up call to the United States, and I guessed that the
Bali bombing is a wake-up call to the Indonesian government and
the Indonesian people," he said.

Indonesia has been doing tremendously, very professional
investigation,

In particular, Wolfowitz said that in dealing with the Bali
bombing, Gen. Made Mangku Pastika has been doing his job
professionally. But more broadly, there is extensive cooperation
between the U.S. and Indonesia and other Southeast Asian
countries to disclose terrorism activities in the region.

"We haven't stopped them obviously, but we are winning, they
are loosing," he commented.

In regard to military involvement and assistance in
counterterrorism actions, he said that as speaking ear of the US.
Defense Department, Wolfowitz said we would like to
strengthening our relationship with the Indonesian military on
the basis that the Indonesian military to pursuing the kind of
reform agenda.