No evidence that Ba'asyir is terrorist leader: Police
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesians detained in Malaysia failed to provide solid evidence to prove that Indonesian Mujahidin Council chief Abu Bakar Ba'asyir was a terrorist leader as suspected by the two countries, National Police detective chief Insp. Gen. Engkesman Hillep said on Monday.
Engkesman said that his team had already interviewed several suspected terrorists detained in Malaysia and all claimed that they were acquainted with Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, but did not to give any lead for Indonesian authorities to make an arrest.
"They said many things ... that they received specific training (from an Indonesian cleric). But, they gave only testimonies. The suspects did not give us any direction as to where we could look for solid proof. That is what we need to make arrests," Engkesman told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
He did not elaborate on what he meant by solid proof.
Engkesman and his officers Sr. Comr. Bagus and Sr. Comr. Benny Mamoto left for Singapore and Malaysia last Wednesday to interview 23 Indonesian terrorist suspects detained in Malaysia and 13 Jemaah Islamiyah members in Singapore.
The team managed to interview several Indonesians detained in Malaysia but failed to meet any Jemaah Islamiah members in Singapore.
Engkesman also said that Singapore had failed to provide visiting Indonesian Police with solid evidence to substantiate Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew's recent controversial statement that terrorist leaders were roaming free here.
"So far we have received no solid proof on that matter," Engkesman told reporters. He added that Lee's statements however did reflect Singapore's definite concern over threats to its national security.
"Singapore should not worry too much about Indonesia because Indonesian security forces are fighting international terrorism, in their own way," he said.
Meanwhile, hard-line groups protested on Monday outside the Singaporean Embassy here, demanding Indonesia sever all ties with Singapore over Lee's unsubstantiated remarks.
"Burn, burn, burn Singapore now! Expel Singaporeans!" members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and the Jakarta Laskar Mujahidin shouted as they burned the Singaporean flag and tyres outside the embassy.
An executive of the Jakarta Laskar Mujahidin, Sayud Hamidan, said that they were protesting on behalf of Ba'asyir whom they believed has been wrongly accused of being a terrorist.
"They are wrongly accusing Ustad Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. We demand Singapore substantiate their accusations ... we are ready to be confronted with over this matter," Sayud told reporters during the demonstration.
"We will always fight for and defend the Ustad." Placards held by demonstrators read that Singapore was messing with Islam and that Singapore was a henchman of "America the terrorist".
Foreign affairs minister Hassan Wirayuda regretted the protest, which he said violated both national and international laws.
"As the foreign ministry that handles bilateral relations, we regret the action of encroaching on embassy grounds and burning the flag as it also violates our law. We expect all Indonesian people and groups to respect the law," Hassan said in Denpasar, Bali on Monday.
Hassan, who is scheduled to return to Jakarta on Thursday, stressed that all embassy property and grounds were under the jurisdiction of their own country and Indonesian citizens should respect that.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I members said on Monday that they would summon foreign affairs minister Hassan Wirayuda to ask about Indonesia's response to Lee's statement that regional terrorist leaders were roaming free here.
"Soon after he arrives in Jakarta, we will question whether he has clarified Lee's statement that Indonesia was a terrorist haven, and whether Lee had evidence to support his remark," said Commission I chairman Ibrahim Ambong.
He also said that the legislators would quiz the minister over what he termed as "the growing inability" of Indonesian diplomats in dealing with their foreign counterparts.
"Indonesia has recently been discredited by our neighboring countries, such as Australia, Malaysia and Singapore, and we will ask why this occurs and how the minister will tackle the problem," he said.