Police probe abuse of cleric

JAKARTA: Police are investigating the possible involvement of a third party in the physical abuse of terrorist suspect Syaifudin, who has been hospitalized for his injuries, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Friday.

"There is a possibility that other individuals or groups beat up Syaifuddin because we let him go after keeping him in custody for several days. We have sent a team to Surabaya to investigate whether he was beaten up inside or outside the police station," said Da'i.

Muslim cleric Syaifuddin was arrested in a joint operation involving the antiterror division and the Surabaya Police. He was detained for two months on accusations of sheltering fugitive bomb experts Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Moh, the main suspects in the attack on JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta last year.

The police said Syaifuddin was also part of the newly recruited team preparing to conduct suicide bombings across the country. -- JP