Manila wants to send Agus Dwikarna home

Manila wants to send Agus Dwikarna home

Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Manila might send home convicted Indonesian Agus Dwikarna,
whom the Philippine courts sentenced to 10 years in jail for
possessing explosives, under a prisoner exchange deal President
Megawati Soekarnoputri has called a "good idea".

Visiting Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ople F. Blas
said on Wednesday that Agus' return depended on Jakarta approving
its prisoner exchange offer.

"I told Megawati that Dwikarna is enjoying all his rights and
is being treated humanely," Ople told reporters after he met
Megawati at the State Palace. He was on a two day visit, which
ended Wednesday.

A Philippine court last May sentenced Agus to 10 years in
prison after he was caught at the Manila airport in possession of
explosives. The Philippine authorities also charged him with
having links with terrorist networks operating in Southeast Asia.

Asked when he might be sent home, Ople said: "We are awaiting
the response of the Indonesian government on this initiative; the
ball is in their court."

Manila's prisoner swap proposal comes after its arrest of Agus
prompted his supporters here to launch protests at the Philippine
embassy.

The Philippine government has warned its citizens in Indonesia
to remain cautious and appealed to Agus' supporters not to harm
them.

Both countries, homes to several Islamic radical groups, are
seen as crucial to the U.S. in its global war against terrorism.

Supporters of Agus claim he was arrested following a tip-off
from the Indonesian military, which was at that time coming under
fire for not doing enough to crack down on suspected terrorists
here.

In Manila, a senior foreign affairs department source said on
Monday that the Philippines hoped to ease the protests by sending
Agus back to Indonesia, AFP news agency reported.

The news agency quoted a report by the International Crisis
Group, which said the evidence against Agus was almost certainly
planted.

Agus has appealed his conviction, the hearing of which will
start later this month.

On Tuesday, Ople submitted a draft agreement to the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs for the exchange of prisoners between the two
countries.

Ople said he hoped to have six Filipinos sent home who were
convicted for fuel smuggling, and who have been jailed in
Tarakan, East Kalimantan.

Under the draft, he said, convicted citizens of both countries
would be allowed to serve the remainder of their jail terms in
their homelands.

"I explained (to Megawati) a bit about the Philippine proposal
which has been transmitted officially to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs for a bilateral agreement on the transfer of sentenced
prisoners," he said. "She said it looked like a good idea."

The details of the draft agreement as yet remain unclear.

Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda, who was not
present when Ople met Megawati, said earlier that the proposal
would first be discussed with the Ministry of Justice and Human
Rights, and the Supreme Court.