Indonesia regrets Thaksin's comments on radical groups

Indonesia regrets Thaksin's comments on radical groups

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government regretted on Monday Thai Prime Minister Thaksin
Sinawarta's statement accusing Indonesian radicals of helping
Muslim militants in southern Thailand.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security
Affairs Widodo A.S. said, however, said Indonesia would settle
the issue through diplomatic channels.

"We regret the statement," Widodo said after attending a
Cabinet meeting chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Thanksin blamed Indonesian radicals over the weekend for
fomenting unrest in the kingdom's troubled south, where more than
560 people have died this year.

"They got (their) radical ideas from studying in Indonesia or
from friends in Indonesia and then trained in Indonesia and
Malaysia," AFP reported Thaksin's remark to a radio announcer
over the weekend.

Thaksin did not provide any evidence linking Indonesian
radicals with their Thai counterparts.

The statement, which has irked the Indonesia government, was
part of discussions during the limited Cabinet meeting on
security preparations for the coming Christmas and New Year
celebrations.

Widodo, who was accompanied by Police chief Gen. Da'i
Bachtiar, urged Thaksin to present proof of his allegations.

He stressed there was strong cooperation between the two
countries in fighting terrorism and an exchange of information
should be conducted should one of the countries note such
activities.

"Muslims here are very moderate," the senior minister said.

Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono, meanwhile, said that
Indonesia would seek clarification from Thailand about Thaksin's
statement.

"We can understand Thailand's worries, but such fears should
not become reasons to blame Indonesia," he said. Indonesia might
formally protest the statement, he said.

According to Juwono, radical groups existed not merely in
Thailand and Indonesia, but also in other parts of the world. In
1980s, these militant groups set up a network called the South
Eastern Islamic Community, with some of its members undergoing
training in several remote places in Indonesia.

"Thailand's (statement) requires further proof through either
legal evidence or intelligence data," Juwono said.

Ministry of foreign affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa said
the accusation was baseless due to the absence of evidence.

"The statement by Prime Minister Thaksin, is notable for its
lack of specifics and the absence of prior diplomatic approaches,
is extremely difficult to comprehend or accept," he told The
Jakarta Post.

Insp. Gen. (ret) Ansjaad Mbai, head of the antiterrorism desk
at the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Political and
Security Affairs, meanwhile, told the Post that Thailand had
asked Indonesian security officers to monitor dozens of Thai
students studying in Indonesia on the grounds that "they (the
students) are likely to join Muslim radical groups here (in
Indonesia)."

"I have disseminated the information to related institutions
here, but as of today, no reports have been filed back to me,"
Ansjaad said.

"We should not overreact because the number of students and
the names of schools they are studying will soon be obtained," he
said.