Minister: Indonesian citizens lead Jamaah Islamiyah

Minister: Indonesian citizens lead Jamaah Islamiyah

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Amid increasing international pressure, the Indonesian government
admitted for the first time on Wednesday that leaders of Jema'ah
Islamiyah (JI), a suspected international terrorist organization,
were Indonesian citizens.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said there would be legal action taken
against the leaders as soon as there was any indication that the
JI leaders were terrorists.

However, the minister insisted that JI was not operating in
Indonesia, but in neighboring Singapore and Malaysia.

"There are Indonesian citizens, who once stayed in Malaysia,
leading the organization, such as the late Abdullah Sungkar, Abu
Bakar Baasyir and Hambali," Susilo said after a meeting with
visiting Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer.

"Other countries have described JI as a terrorist
organization, and we cannot dismiss that it conducts its
operations in those countries," he added.

"Should there be indications that its leaders in Indonesia
have been involved in terrorist acts because of their membership
in the organization, then legal measures will be taken against
them," the minister said.

Susilo's statement confirmed speculation that the Indonesian
government is considering cracking down on the group, following
the Bali bomb attacks last Saturday night.

Pressure has mounted for Indonesia to arrest Baasyir,
especially after Australian and United States officials publicly
accused JI of being behind the carnage, which has claimed more
than 180 lives and injured hundreds of others.

"As soon as we find strong indications of Abu Bakar Baasyir's
involvement in the terrorist network, there will be strong legal
action taken against him," Susilo underlined.

The minister said the government would wait for a report from
the Indonesian government team, which is questioning another
suspected terrorist Omar Al-faruq who was arrested in Bogor, West
Java, last June and is currently detained by the U.S. government,
before deciding further steps.

"The team will return home within two to three days. Then, we
will see from there," Susilo asserted.

Dozens of JI members had been arrested in the Southeast Asian
region for their alleged terrorist activities following the Sept.
11 attacks on New York and Washington last year.

Sources at the National Police Headquarters said National
Police chief of detectives Insp. Gen. Engkesman Hillep had
assigned his men to question Baasyir on Thursday about JI's
activities.

Responding to the latest demand from Australia and the U.S. to
insert JI in the United Nations (UN) terrorist list, Indonesian
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said the government
would wait for the results of the government's investigative
team.