Indonesians held in Manila: Scapegoats or terrorists?

Indonesians held in Manila: Scapegoats or terrorists?

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Speculation is growing is some circles that the three Indonesians
recently arrested in Manila were made scapegoats to ease
international pressure on Jakarta to act against reported
terrorist elements establishing roots in the country.

At least that is what the three arrested men -- Tamsil
Linrung, Abdul Jamal Balfas and Agus Dwikarna -- along with
family and friends here would have us believe.

However such conspiracy theories were brushed off by Vice
President Hamzah Haz when it was suggested to him that the three
were being victimized by certain elements in their own country.

"I don't think that is true," Hamzah replied when asked by
journalists here on Tuesday.

Hamzah then added that "if there is such a thing, we would
have discussed it in one of the Cabinet meetings ... But we will
check again with our embassy in the Philippines."

The arrest of the three men in the Manila airport comes on the
heels of recriminations that the Indonesian government is not
doing its bit to weed out terrorism.

The archipelago, because of its size and large Muslim
population, has been identified as fertile ground for terrorist
elements.

Developments in the past five months do show that Indonesians
have been arrested or alleged to be connected to terrorist
activities in other countries but not in Indonesia itself.

Authorities here however have maintained that there is little
proof that individuals here are members or leaders of a regional
terrorist ring.

Then on March 9 news broke that three men were arrested in
Manila for carrying explosives.

The news was met with some skepticism, not the least since one
of the accused -- Tamsil -- was a relatively well-known political
activist who had close associations with senior political
figures.

Many also believe that it may be a case of guilty by
association due to activities in known Muslim groups.

Tamsil, in a published interview with Republika daily on
Tuesday, said the events that led to his arrest indicated he was
framed.

"This is all a sham ... This was ordered from Indonesia. Yes,
probably by certain elements," said Tamsil, 41.

Without identifying the possible protagonists, he asserted
that their arrest was devised to show "foreign countries" that
something was being done.

"They find someone to make into a scapegoat. Since there
aren't any terrorists, they make someone out to be one."

While Tamsil's background may not fit the customary terrorist
profile, his political activism makes it easy for the narrow
minded to finger guilt merely based on association since
terrorism has in recent weeks often been erroneously equated with
Islamic radicalism.

The graduate of the Teachers Training Institute in Makassar is
active in socio-political Islamic organizations. His latest
political role was as an executive of the National Mandate Party.

Tamsil claims that someone placed the explosives in his
suitcase and that when he was ushered into a room by plainclothes
policemen explosives were also already laid on the table.

Tamsil, who was in Manila for business, believes the very fact
that he was a Muslim may have made him a target: "Before I was
taken by the plainclothes policemen I was asked 'Muslim
passport?'"

Tamsil's colleague, Agus, also fit the bill due to his
activities in the Indonesian Mujahidin Council which is led by
Abu Bakar Ba'asyir whom Singapore claims to be a terrorist ring
leader.

It is not known if Abdul Jamal is politically associated with
any group.