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."