International training camp in Poso 'empty'
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
National Intelligence Agency chief A.M. Hendropriyono backtracked on Thursday from comments he made one day earlier that an international terrorist group in Poso were exacerbating the Christian-Muslim conflict there.
Intelligence officers found an abandoned site in one of Poso's districts that was once used as a training camp by the international group, the retired three-star general told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.
Hendro refused to answer when asked about the exact location and the time of the discovery saying only that the government confirmed its finding after members of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda group arrested last month in Spain alluded to the Poso training camp.
"The training site was not used by Indonesians, but by foreigners ... While, those who are involved in conflict in Poso are Indonesians against fellow Indonesians, Muslims against Christians," he said.
The result of the investigation in Spain into the al-Qaeda network included reports that it had trained 3,000 multinational troops in Indonesian camps. Indonesian Police had denied the reports.
Hendro statements differed from other top officials including the chief security minister who maintained that the presence of an international terrorist group in the Central Sulawesi town had yet to be proven.
On Wednesday Hendro said that Poso had been utilized by members of al-Qaeda group to establish their bases and training centers.
"I announced it because it is time to give a warning. I have to warn the (Poso) people so that they are not used by foreigners," Hendropriyono said
Central Sulawesi police chief Brig. Gen. Zainal Abidin Ishak denied Thursday the involvement of al-Qaeda members in Poso, Antara reported.
The Poso conflict which was triggered by a regent election in 1998 has continued intermittently taking more than 3,000 lives.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said the government would investigate the abandoned training site.
Some deserted facilities have been found there, Susilo said.
"But we will not conclude straight away that we have found a terrorist camp. We will continue our investigation," he said.
However, the government will take legal action if there are indications that terrorist training activities did occur in Poso, he said.
"Currently we have yet to determine which organization had used the site and for what," he said, adding that the current warring groups in Poso were not related to the terrorist organizations.
Plans are afoot to hold peace talks in Malino mountain resort near Makassar for the warring parties in Poso before Christmas.