Minister corrects arrest report

Minister corrects arrest report

JAKARTA: Minister for Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda played
down on Wednesday reports on the arrest of Indonesian citizens in
the United States, saying it was merely the 24-hour detention
part of the registration policy.

"It was not an arrest, it was part of the registration process
and they were released within 24 hours," Hassan said after
meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Wednesday.

His comment was in stark contrast to the information from the
Indonesian Embassy in the United States that eight Indonesian
were under detention for visa offenses. The eight citizens,
according to the embassy, would go on trial on March 17.

The United States has put Indonesia on a list of countries
whose male citizens over the age of 16 are required to register
with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). The move
is part of the country's fight against terrorism.

Officials said earlier that as many as 50,000 Indonesians were
working illegally in the United States. --JP