Govt sets up antiterror task force
Govt sets up antiterror task force
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The latest bomb attack that rocked the country last week has
prompted the government to set up a military-backed antiterror
task force, which will be allowed to conduct clandestine
operations.
The task force will fall under the auspices of the National
Intelligence Body (BIN) chief, who will coordinate intelligence
work between the National Police's antiterror squad, Army's
Special Forces (Kopassus), the Navy's Special Forces Denjaka and
the Air Force's Special Forces Bravo.
Interim coordinating minister for political and security
affairs Hari Sabarno said on Wednesday the task force would help
track down terrorist suspects nationwide.
"The task force will be assigned to carry out both open and
clandestine operations to prevent terror attacks," Hari told a
press conference.
Plainclothes personnel of the task force will also operate at
airports and seaports accessible to terrorist suspects.
The task force will take over from the antiterror desk which
was formed by Hari's predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono shortly
after the JW Marriott Hotel bombing here in August last year.
Under the new arrangement, the desk will be incorporated into
the task force.
Hari said the existence of the new antiterror body was not in
violation of the Law No 15/2003 on antiterrorism, which gives the
police the main role. The law says military intelligence can
provide data required to crack down on terrorist groups.
"The framework is still the same, but the military
intelligence units will now be more involved in the whole
process," Hari said, without elaborating.
The President issued Instruction No. 5/2002 that centralizes
the coordination of all intelligence bodies under the National
Intelligence Agency (BIN).
Hari acknowledged that the current military and police
antiterror squads, as well as other intelligence units, did not
have well-knit teamwork, leaving the police with problems in
dealing with the crimes.
But the military's antiterror squads are not without
weaknesses, Hari said, as they are merely trained to crush long-
term terror attacks, such as hijacks and hostages, and are not
familiar with immediate attacks like bombing.
The bomb blast outside the Australian Embassy last Thursday
killed nine people and injured over 180 others. It was the third
major terror attack in Indonesia in as many years, after the Bali
bombings and Marriott attack.
Police have blamed the bomb attacks on regional terror network
Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), which has managed to recruit new members
since the Bali blast in 2002.
The existing antiterror desk is lead by Insp. Gen. Ansjaad
Mbai. It is tasked with providing the advice the government needs
to crack down on the terrorist network.
Ansjaad said his desk had a different field of work from the
antiterror task force, but would intensify coordination with the
new body.
"We admit that all intelligence bodies have failed to work as
a team. Therefore, the establishment of the task force is
necessary, as it will help us focus on policy making, information
sharing and conducting operations," he said.