Muslim leaders' help needed to arrest suspects
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.