Experts tell Susilo to be firm against terrorism

Experts tell Susilo to be firm against terrorism

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Fighting against terrorism and finding out the motives behind
such attacks are prerequisites for restoring peace and order
necessary to pull the country out of its multidimensional crisis,
experts say.

They also advise the likely next president, Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, to take firm actions against those involved in
terrorist attacks, especially the perpetrators of the deadly
blast that killed at least 10 people in Kuningan, South Jakarta
on Sept. 9.

Kusnanto Anggoro, military analyst of the Center for Strategic
and International Studies (CSIS), said Susilo had to ensure that
the people involved in the Kuningan bombing were arrested and
brought to justice.

"Susilo emerged right after the bloody blast and
investigation, served as a test of his commitment to upholding
security," Kusnanto told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

The police have declared five persons as suspects and have
arrested a few others for their alleged involvement in the
Kuningan bomb attack that police have blamed on the regional
terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).

Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, has been rocked
by series of terrorist attacks in the past five years -- the Bali
bombings that killed at least 202 people in October 2002 and the
JW Marriott hotel attack that claimed the lives of 12 people in
August 2003.

The terrorist attacks have kept badly needed investment at
bay, further delaying the country's recovery from its economic
doldrums.

Indria Samego, a military analyst of the Indonesian Institute
of Sciences (LIPI), concurred and said Susilo had to immediately
implement his plan to establish a National Security Council and
revive the counterterrorism task force he led during his stint
with the administration of incumbent President Megawati
Soekarnoputri to enhance security in general, at home.

He, however, urged Susilo to name the council's members and
its authority and powers.

The national security council's powers "should not overlap
with the counterterrorism task force which involves the National
Police, the military and intelligence apparatus," he said.

He said the council, which is presumedly going to be directly
led by the president, should involve the coordinating minister
for political and security affairs, police and military chiefs,
and relevant ministers. Its main task should be formulating new
measures to maintain security and political stability at home.

Indria and Kusnanto said Susilo should declare the National
Police in charge of security, including the counterterrorism task
force, to end unhealthy competition between the police and the
military in handling terrorism.

The counterterrorism task force should be dominated by police
while a new legislation should be made to allow military to
provide help for the police, they said.

The two analysts also said that while joining the global war
on terrorism, Indonesia has to fight for its foreign policy,
agenda especially on the issues of Palestine, Afghanistan and
Iraq that have been used by certain militant groups to launch
terror acts.

"Susilo is supported by the majority of Muslim voters and
parties, and therefore he should never enter into ties with
Israel.

"On the contrary, he should support the establishment of the
state of Palestine and oppose the occupation of Afghanistan and
Iraq," Kusnanto said.