Muslim leaders' help needed to arrest suspects

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Surabaya

Following the police move to search pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) for the Bali bomb suspects, a respected Muslim leader pleaded on Wednesday that influential Muslim clerics be involved in the effort to apprehend the suspects to avoid upsetting Muslims.

Ahmad Syafii Maarif, the chairman of the second largest Muslim organization, the Muhammadiyah, said he supported police efforts, but cautioned that they should not be excessive in searching boarding schools for suspects.

"I support the police's effort to investigate several pesantren should strong evidence prove that these places are harboring suspected terrorists.

"But the involvement of some influential Ulemas is necessary as this is a sensitive issue," Syafii told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The head of the police joint investigative team of the Bali bombing, Insp. Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika, said on Tuesday that his men were negotiating with pesantren leaders over the handover of suspected terrorists who may be hiding at some schools.

The spokesman for the investigative team, Brig. Gen. Edward Aritonang, refused on Wednesday to elaborate on the development of talks with pesantren leaders, saying only that "the police are approaching all parties".

Aritonang also said that the police would not raid schools unless they had strong evidence that supported their move to search their premises.

"We will raid the schools only if we have strong indications compelling the officers to search those places," Aritonang said at the National Police Headquarters.

The police are searching for six suspects: Imam Samudra, Ali Imron, Dulmatin, Wayan, Idris and Patek. The police said the suspects were all in the country, and some were likely hiding in pesantren in Java.

Meanwhile, Ibnu Chanifah, the deputy director of the Al Mukmin boarding school in Ngruki, Surakarta, said on Wednesday that he suspected that the police would raid his school because it was led by Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the alleged leader of the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist group.

Ibnu said searches would likely be conducted when the schools were out for the Idul Fitri holidays to avoid any conflict with students.

Students start their month-long vacation on Thursday.

"We have known such indications (of police searches). We will welcome the officers, provided that they act in accordance with procedures and have good intentions," said Ibnu.

Calls for the police to respect Islamic boarding schools also came from other Muslim leaders, including Vice President Hamzah Haz.