House to summon Da'i over Ba'asyir terror probe

P.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives has arranged a hearing with National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar scheduled for early in May to clarify the motives behind the probe into Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir for his alleged role in terrorist activities.

"We want to know the police reasons for the investigation and whether foreign pressure and intervention are behind the move," said Ibrahim Ambong, chairman of Commission I for defense and foreign affairs.

The plan came after a visit by Reform faction members to the Salemba Penitentiary on Friday in a show of support for the cleric. Commission member A.M. Lutfi led the visit, the second by politicians after Prosperous Justice Party Chairman Hidayat Nurwahid a week before.

Deputy chairman of Commission II for legal and home affairs Hamdan Zoelva told The Jakarta Post the commission was seeking a separate hearing with Da'i for the same purpose.

"The police move has sparked suspicion in our society, because it came as the cleric was about to leave prison," Hamdan, of the Muslim-based Crescent Star Party, said.

The strong allegation of foreign intervention in Ba'asyir's case emerged after Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif admitted to the media that U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L. Boyce had personally asked him to persuade Gen. Da'i Bachtiar and Supreme Court Chief Justice Bagir Manan to keep Ba'asyir in prison.

Boyce, however, denied allegations that he had intervened in Indonesia's legal affairs, saying that it was a normal thing in diplomacy to give an opinion or comment on a particular incident, such as Ba'asyir's case.

Washington has expressed concern at the completion of Ba'asyir's jail term on April 30, asserting that the Muslim figure has deep involvement in terrorist activities.

Police are scheduled to interrogate Ba'asyir as a suspect at the National Police Headquarters on Monday. Director VI for Antiterrorism and Bombs Brig. Gen. Pranowo said the summons for the cleric was sent on Thursday.

Pranowo said the terrorist suspect would be accompanied by his lawyers during the interrogation.

He hinted the police could detain the cleric for investigation in accordance with Law No. 15/2003 on terrorism.

The detention means Ba'asyir will not walk free when he completes his 18-month jail term for immigration offenses and document fraud.

According to Article 25, paragraph 2 of the draconian antiterrorism law, investigators have the right to detain a terrorist suspect for up to six months.

Akhmad Kholid, one of Ba'asyir's lawyers, said they were ready to assist the cleric. However, he suspected that the police "are seeking every avenue to keep Uztad (Ba'asyir) in jail".

Police named Ba'asyir on April 16 a terrorist suspect for his alleged role in various bomb attacks that rocked the country over the past few years.

The court had failed to prove accusations that Ba'asyir had planned to overthrow the government or plotted to kill Megawati Soekarnoputri when she was the vice president.