Detectives to visit Manila over terrorism allegations
Detectives to visit Manila over terrorism allegations
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The National Police plans to send detectives and intelligence
operatives to the Philippines this week to explore possible links
between three Indonesians recently arrested there and al-Qaeda
affiliated groups.
"The police need to speak with the three ... it is our hope
that Philippine Police will allow our officers to question these
men," National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Edward
Aritonang said on Tuesday.
Aritonang said intelligence reports received by Indonesian
Police indicated that the three, identified as Agus Dwikarna,
Tamsil Linrung and Abdul Jamal Balfas, were associated with the
Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI).
The MMI is chaired by Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, whom
Singapore and Malaysia have accused of leading the allegedly al-
Qaeda-linked Jamaah Islamiyah militant organization.
Agus, Tamsil and Balfas were apprehended at Ninoy Aquino
airport in Manila as they were heading for Thailand. Police
claimed they were found to be in possession of bomb-making
components.
The police, Aritonang said, would also look into the
possibility of ties between the three and Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi,
an explosives expert who remains in detention after his arrest in
Manila this January. The Philippines police have stated that all
four detained Indonesians are members of Jamaah Islamiyah.
"We are checking out all possibilities. Their might be a link
to Fathur, or Ba'asyir, or militant groups. We need to
investigate this," Aritonang said.
Jamaah Islamiyah was introduced into Malaysia by Abdullah
Achmad Sungkar, a late associate of Ba'asyir. After Abdullah's
death in 1999, Ba'asyir took over, according to Malaysian police.
Sources said the primary duties of Abdullah included
recruiting Muslim youths who believed that Islam should be the
foundation of the country's government. The youths were
reportedly sent abroad, including to Afghanistan, for
paramilitary training.
Ba'asyir denied the reports on Tuesday.
"I was close to Ustad Abdullah Sungkar ... we both believed
that teaching about Quwwatul Aqidah (strength of faith);
Quwwatul Ukhuwwah (strength of brotherhood); and Quwwatul
Musallaha (strength of argumentation and weapons as a defense),
are crucial parts of the Koran, like jihad (holy war), that
needed stressing during our preaching," Ba'asyir told The Jakarta
Post.
Senior government officials renewed their calls for people not
to jump to conclusions that the latest arrests of Indonesian
nationals were linked to terrorism.
Foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said that the
three men had flatly denied all the accusations, including that
the bomb-making components had belonged to them.
"They have denied all knowledge of the components, and are
confused as to how they got into their luggage. Our embassy is
still trying to work out the case," Marty told the Post.
He added that the three were being interrogated over
immigration violations and possession of explosive materials.
Vice President Hamzah Haz and Coordinating Minister for
Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also
appealed to all parties not to exaggerate the importance of the
arrests.
"Indonesia is no sanctuary for terrorists. The arrest of one
or two Indonesians should not be seen as being representative of
the Indonesian people in general," Hamzah asserted.
He said that Indonesia respected the due process of law.
When asked whether the activities of the three Indonesians
could be linked to Muslim-based parties in Indonesia or militant
Islamic movements, Hamzah, who chairs the largest Indonesian
Muslim party -- the United Development Party -- said: "I don't
know about that."