Government seeks access to Indonesians detained in RP
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Phnom Penh
Indonesia is seeking access to four Indonesian men arrested in General Santos city on the island of Mindanao for carrying explosives, as the Philippine authorities are trying to establish links between them and the Jamaah Islamiyah terror network.
Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa told The Jakarta Post here on Thursday the Indonesian Embassy officials in Manila have sought access to the four men, who are in police custody.
"Embassy staff, along with a local lawyer, are currently in General Santos to meet the men. But so far no detailed information about the circumstances of the arrest has been provided," Marty said on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN) ministerial meeting here.
In Manila, President Gloria Arroyo said the Philippine government was "working with the Indonesian government to trace the underground contacts of the suspects and get a clear picture of the transnational web of conspiracy".
Arroyo hailed the arrest as a victory against terrorism in Southeast Asia.
"We are now tying up various testimonies to expose the entire terrorist network that is threatening the political and economic security of the region, especially in our immediate neighborhood with Indonesia and Malaysia," she said as quoted by AFP.
"To beat this threat, we will continue to harness diplomacy at the highest levels and community vigilance on the ground."
Marty said the Indonesian government would not intervene in the legal process against the men, but would ensure their legal rights were protected.
"We will only ensure that their civil rights are not violated, and we have yet to establish whether they were visiting the Philippines or have stayed in the country for some time," he said.
A group of five men were arrested, while having lunch at the bus station in General Santos city on Wednesday, carrying two bags containing a rocket launcher, which they modified into handmade explosives.
Four of the five were Indonesian citizens, while the other one was a Filipino.
Philippine Foreign Minister Blas Ople said on Thursday the arrest was made following a tip off from some officers, who led the police to the men at the bus station.
"The police are now looking into the possibility of the connection with al-Qaeda and Jamaah Islamiyah," Ople told the Post on the sidelines of the meeting.
The minister was referring to the terrorist networks in the region, which have been held responsible for a series of bomb attacks in the region in the past few years.
Two other Indonesians, Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi and Agus Dwikarna, are being detained in the Philippines for carrying explosive materials. They are currently serving 15 years and 11 years in prison respectively.