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.