Police close to naming four deportees terror suspects
Police close to naming four deportees terror suspects
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The police claim to have enough evidence to charge four of the
six students repatriated from Pakistan with their involvement in
a series of terror attacks that rocked Indonesia over the last
two years.
"After questioning them for four days, we decide to name two
students as witnesses and are close to declaring the rest
suspects," said National Police Antiterror Division director
Brig. Gen. Pranowo on Monday in Jakarta.
He said the police found during the interrogation that four
students were linked to terrorist attacks in the country.
However, he refused to identify the prospective suspects nor
which attacks they were involved in.
Mohammad Syaifudin, Ilham Sofyandi, David Pintarto, Furqon
Abdullah, Muhammad Anwar As-Sadaqqi, and Rusman Gunawan alias Gun
Gun -- the brother of top terrorist suspect Hambali -- were
arrested in Karachi by Pakistani authorities in early September
for alleged involvement in terrorist activities.
Gun Gun admitted he had sent US$50,000 and telecommunications
equipment to his brother.
Hambali, born as Riduan Isamuddin, is believed to be the
leader of the Southeast Asian regional terrorist network Jamaah
Islamiyah (JI). He has been in U.S custody at an undisclosed
location since his arrest in Thailand in August.
The six students have been in Jakarta Police custody since
their arrival on Friday.
"They have not been accompanied by their lawyers because this
is just a preliminary interrogation process, not yet a formal
investigation," said Pranowo.
He underlined the authority of the police to detain terror
suspects for seven days before they had to issue warrants.
"Under Law No. 15/2003 on antiterrorism, the police have the
right to hold terror suspects for seven days. So, the students
don't need their lawyers so far," said Pranowo.
However, one of the students' lawyers Munarman said the police
had interpreted the antiterrorism law to suit themselves.
"I challenge the police to pinpoint the article in the law
that enables the police to detain individuals without warrants
and lawyers' escort," Munarman told The Jakarta Post.
He said any police move to infringe on the freedom of citizen
was an action which had legal consequences.
"Therefore they should issue an arrest warrant before they
detain our clients," said Munarman.
He said his team of lawyers, representing the students, had
sent a letter to the National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar,
asking him to examine the case.
"Da'i should warn his men to follow the correct legal
procedure. Police personnel whose actions are contrary to the law
should be dismissed," said Munarman.
The team also plans to report the alleged misconduct to the
National Commission on Human Rights.