Hambali's answer lacking: Da'i

Hambali's answer lacking: Da'i

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police have received answers to questions submitted to the United
States but find them inadequate to build a strong case against
alleged terror kingpin Riduan Isamuddin, alias Hambali, the
leader of regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Thursday that
Indonesian investigators would still demand direct access to
Hambali, currently in U.S. custody at an undisclosed location.

"They have given us replies, but they are not sufficient on
which to base a prosecution. Our interrogators must question him
directly to build a case against him," Da'i told a media
conference on Thursday.

The police have sought direct access to Indonesian-born
Hambali to question him as a suspect in a spate of terrorist
attacks across the country, including the Bali bombings on Oct.
12 last year and the JW Marriot Hotel attack on Aug. 5.

At least 202 people were killed in the Bali bombings, and 12
in the Marriot attacks. Police have arrested more than 40
suspects in the two terrorist attacks.

Da'i said under existing laws, prosecutors would indict a
suspect on the basis of a police dossier.

He added that Indonesian interrogators faced difficulties in
framing their questions for Hambali.

The U.S. has yet to allow Indonesian investigators direct
access to Hambali, who is also wanted in several other countries
for his alleged involvement in terrorist acts.

"We insist that Hambali be presented before the court here as
he was involved in a string of bombings across the country since
2000, including the recent Marriott Hotel bombing," Da'i said.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, meanwhile, said that he had conveyed
Indonesia's requests during a recent meeting with U.S Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Robert Mueller, Deputy
Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Secretary of State Colin
Powell.

But, as Da'i asserted regarding the need to prosecute Hambali,
Susilo placed more emphasis on the possibility of future bombings
that might be carried out in the country by JI. (changed from
"the group".)

"I have told them that Indonesia requires access to Hambali to
find out whether JI has plans to bomb more locations in
Indonesia," he said.

However, the government could understand that Hambali was
currently receiving "special U.S. treatment," Susilo said.

"In the meantime, we have questioned Hambali (via the U.S
government)," he said.

The U.S. has provided Indonesia with the result of its
interrogation of Hambali. Indonesia has also been allowed to
question Hambali indirectly. Isn't this obvious from all that has
gone before, and therefore doesn't need to be repeated?

The refusal by the U.S. for Indonesia to have direct access to
Hambali, who was captured in Thailand and held in U.S. custody,
has irked legislators, who have said it would only hamper the
antiterrorism drive here.

JI is believed to have links with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda
terrorist group, blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks in Washington
and New York.