Govt vows united action in fighting terrorism

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government pledged on Monday to take united action in eradicating terrorists, whom a minister said were linked to al- Qaeda, in particular those who masterminded the bomb attacks in Bali that have left at least 183 people dead.

Acknowledging the weaknesses of the country's security services, President Megawati Soekarnoputri ordered the police and military to team up in investigating the blast. Megawati said the police would spearhead the probe.

Speaking during a press conference after a Cabinet meeting on Monday, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that the government would establish a system to properly manage the intelligence services.

"The police and the military with its intelligence service (BAIS) will intensify cooperation in detecting possible threats in the future," Susilo remarked.

While others government officials were cautious about blaming a particular group of perpetrating the bombing, defense minister Matori Abdul Djalil said he had no hesitation in linking the bomb blast to al-Qaeda, the Muslim group accused of bomb attacks in the United States last year.

"With such a huge blast, the bombing was carried out by a professional terrorist network and I am prepared to say that al- Qaeda in Indonesia really exists," he said after the Cabinet meeting.

But Matori fell short of elaborating on whether he or the government had evidence that al-Qaeda was operating in Indonesia.

In Denpasar, Indonesian flags were lowered to half-staff on Monday in various parts of the city.

The flags dotted streets in downtown Denpasar, and also in several suburban areas, such as Tohpati in the city's eastern outskirts. Students of the Udayana University erected a billboard in front of their main campus building on Jl. Sudirman, where they expressed their sympathy for the victims of the bombing.

"We just want to express our condolences to the bombing victims and their families. Lowering the flags and erecting the billboard is our way of saying that we are very sorry that this tragedy has befallen them," a student said.

Several community groups expressed their condolences by organizing a joint prayer session. In Danes Art Veranda, poets, actors, performers and painters gathered on Monday evening to pray and perform.

The Cabinet meeting on Monday decided on a security management arrangement where the Indonesian Military (TNI) would focus on guarding vital installations, and the police on the security of the cities.

Susilo underlined that the tragedy should bring the whole country together and put it on alert for further threats.

He also called on the House of Representatives to support the government, especially by passing the antiterrorism bill that is currently under discussion.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said later in the day the draft of antiterrorism law had already been completed and would be presented to Megawati on Tuesday.

Regarding the investigation process, National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said that currently the police were looking for an Indonesian citizen whose identity card was found near the scene.

"We are still trying to locate the man, we cannot say whether he will be a suspect or just a witness in the case," he said, adding that there was also the possibility that the man was among the victims.

Da'i said that the police were cooperating with the Australian Federal Police, United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), while a British police team would enter the country immediately.

"The authority over the investigation remains in our hands, but due to our limited capabilities, we need to have technical cooperation with them," Da'i remarked.

During the press briefing, the general also publicly apologized for the incident. "We are truly sorry, we tried our best but still the incident happened," he remarked.

Police announced later in the day that C4 was the material used to make the bomb that exploded in Bali. The same substance was used in the bomb that went off at the Philippine ambassador's residence on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta, two years ago. The incident remains unresolved.

The government, however, refrained from mentioning the group that would be the focus of investigation, even after Australian and the U.S. specifically mentioned al-Qaeda and Abu Bakar Ba'asyir as being behind the attack.

"We will crack down any groups behind the attack. There will be no impunity for them," Susilo remarked.

Vice President Hamzah Haz renewed his defense of Muslim hard- line groups at home, dismissing the possibility of their involvement in the blast.

Suspecting that the incident was engineered, Hamzah asserted that it had nothing to do with the leaders of Islamic hard-line groups, including the chairman of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI), Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, head of the Ahlussunah Wal Jamaah, Djafar Umar Talib and chief of the Islam Defenders' Front (FPI), Habib Rizieq.