'Indonesia not slow in war on terror'

'Indonesia not slow in war on terror'

Jerry Norton, Reuters, Jakarta

Indonesia's intelligence chief has fended off criticism that
Jakarta is slacking in the "war on terror", saying it was
providing crucial intelligence to other countries and expelling
foreigners linked to al Qaeda.

And it would be happy to do more if it were not hampered by a
lack of tough laws, insufficient support from other countries,
and a weak economy, A. M. Hendropriyono said in an interview at
the State Intelligence Agency's tightly guarded headquarters.

In the latest in a string of criticisms of Jakarta from other
countries, U.S. envoy to Singapore Franklin Lavin called on
Indonesia on Saturday to do more to pursue groups Malaysia and
Singapore say directed violent militants in the two countries.

"But actually we have done a lot," Hendro said when asked
about the charge.

"What we are doing now is tracking (the groups). We have so
many files that can be compiled (with) very good and useful full
information that we can distribute to our counterparts in
Southeast Asia and all over the world."

That is what Jakarta has been doing, he said, including
supplying information on radical activists from Indonesia who
moved to neighboring countries and proselytized to those who
became "wanted people by our friends in Malaysia".

But arresting such activists when they return to Indonesia is
not so easy, he said.

"We don't have ISA (Internal Security Act) like Malaysia and
Singapore so we have to be smarter in applying strategy... We
can't arrest people we suspect without any evidence."

In recent months Malaysia and Singapore have used their ISAs,
which allow indefinite detention of suspects without charges and
trials, to jail dozens of Islamic militants alleged to be
plotting terrorist attacks on U.S. and other targets.

The two countries linked those arrested to several
Indonesians, including Muslim clerics Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and
Hambali, both of whom lived and preached in Malaysia for years.

Ba'asyir was questioned by Indonesian police last month but
not charged. Hambali's whereabouts are unknown.

In the case of Ba'asyir, Indonesia has no hard evidence he
violated domestic laws nor has it been presented with a case that
he was wanted by other countries, Hendro said.

But as for Hambali, "We will arrest this man as long as we
know where he is even though we don't have that kind of ISA," he
said.

"There is proof that he did something, and he is also a wanted
man by our neighbors, by Americans... by our counterpart
intelligence institutions."

He also said Indonesia had expelled two individuals linked to
al Qaeda. "Once they entered the country we arrested them, we
deported two," the former general said.

He declined to offer further details, saying: "You can ask
Egyptian intelligence and the CIA."

Jakarta is looking for more suspects wanted by foreign
countries, Hendro said, and there have been contacts made between
al Qaeda and Indonesian individuals and groups.

But he disputed suggestions al Qaeda had a significant
presence in Indonesia.

"According to (the) al Qaeda side the situation or the
condition here in Indonesia is not matured yet... a significant
amount of money given for a terrorist operation never yet
happens" and evidence was lacking of al Qaeda branches or cells.

He agreed, however, with the view of other Southeast Asian
countries that an organization called Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) --
which others have linked to al Qaeda -- was coordinating militant
activity throughout the region, including in Indonesia.

"This organization is a regional organization. This
organization's objective is to Islamisize the Southeast Asian
countries, they have their goal as an... Islamic Sharia state."

He said countries quick to criticize Indonesia should instead
offer more understanding.

"We have to fight against our common enemy but we can't go
anywhere," he said, because the United States refused to supply
spare parts for U.S.-made military transport planes. The ban
relates to charges of human rights violations in the past by
Indonesia's armed forces.