Indonesia seeks to protect rights of arrested citizens

Indonesia seeks to protect rights of arrested citizens

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia is seeking to protect the rights of three
Indonesians recently arrested in the Philippines for carrying
components to make bombs, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
Wirayuda said on Monday.

Hassan denied that the arrests showed that his country was
sheltering international terrorists, adding that it was too early
to say that the three men were linked to the global terrorist
network of al-Qaeda.

"It is our hope that their basic rights are neither reduced
nor compromised. Any Indonesians arrested abroad should receive
protection of their basic rights," Hassan told reporters on the
sidelines of a hearing with the House of Representatives.

The three men, identified as Agus Dwikarna, Tamsil Linrung and
Abdul Jamal Balfas, were caught at Manila airport last week just
as they were about to leave for Thailand. They were arrested for
carrying components to make the C4 bomb, considered among the
most brisant and powerful of military explosives.

The Indonesians are allegedly all members of Jamaah Islamiyah,
the group accused by Singapore of planning bombing attacks in the
city state.

Foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa confirmed later on
Monday that Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Vice Admiral
(ret) Soeratmin and other Indonesian Embassy officials had spoken
with the detainees.

"The Indonesians have said that they are fine so far ... they
had minor complaints about gastric problems and headaches. They
have been allowed to be examined by a doctor," Marty told The
Jakarta Post, adding that the meeting between embassy officials
and the three men took place between 3 p.m. and 8.30 p.m.

Marty said that during the meeting, the arrested Indonesians
were allowed to contact family members via the telephone.

"The next step by the Indonesian Embassy in the Philippines
will be to provide the three men with public attorneys. The men
will also be given the option to use their own lawyers if they
wish," Marty said.

Meanwhile, National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Edward
Aritonang said on Monday that Indonesian Police officials were
still awaiting the go-ahead from the Philippines police, in order
to meet with the three men, and hopefully interrogate them.

"The three men have reportedly violated a (Philippines)
presidential decree on the illegal possession of firearms,
ammunition and explosives ... we still have to confirm that
though. In their luggage, components to make the C4 bomb were
found," Aritonang told reporters. He added that the men were also
in violation of the country's immigration regulations.

Agus is a coordinator of Laskar Jundullah, a Muslim group
advocating the imposition of Islamic law in Indonesia, and a
senior official of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI). Tamsil
Linrung is a member of the advisory board of the Committee for
the Preparation of the Enforcement of Islamic Law and former
treasurer of the National Mandate Party.

MMI chief, Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, has been named by
Singapore and Malaysia as leader of the Jamaah Islamiyah. Another
Indonesian suspect, Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, said to be an
explosives expert, remains in detention after his arrest in
Manila in January.

Some 100 activists of the Indonesian Islamic Youth movement
(GPII) protested outside the Philippines Embassy here on Monday,
stating that the Philippines government was deliberately
suspicious of Indonesia having ties with the al-Qaeda network.

GPII spokesman Askodar said that the Philippines was
advocating the anti-Islamic movement in Southeast Asia with the
latest arrest of Indonesian Muslim activists.

Separately, the rector of the Jakarta-based Institute for
Islamic Studies (IAIN) lashed out at the arrest, stating that the
Philippines police were acting recklessly.

"It seems that the Philippines and Singapore are keen to be US
marshals in the Southeast Asia region," Azyumardi said.

Azyumardi said there were clear signs the two countries had
been attempting to win favors of the US, following the Sept. 11,
2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

The status of the US as the world's economic powerhouse and
the largest supplier of weaponry and ammunition has drawn
interests from both countries to win the favor of the US, he
said.

"The consistency of both countries to campaign against
terrorists will be their bargaining cards to get economic and
defense favor from the US," he said.