Police release four suspects reportedly linked to terrorism

Police release four suspects reportedly linked to terrorism

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police released on Friday another four people reportedly linked
to terrorist activities, deeming their accounts during
interrogation thus far sufficient.

Previously the police released four of 17 suspects arrested
between August and September for their alleged involvement in
plans to launch terror attacks in the capital.

Their status, however, remains unchanged.

Those released on Friday were Suradi, alias Abu Utsman, alias
Abu Zaid; Ikhsan Miarso; Bambang Tutuko alias Abu Umar; and
Samian, alias Zaid, alias Abdullah. The four released previously
were Wagino, Sunarno, Muhaimin Yahya and Solihin, alias Soleh.

"Their (release) papers were signed this morning," National
Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Basyir Barmawi said at National
Police Headquarters.

Suradi was picked up for questioning by the police on Sept. 8
in the Central Java city of Surakarta and officially detained on
Sept. 14. Ikhsan was picked up on Sept. 8 in the neighboring
Surakarta town of Sukoharjo and detained since Sept. 14. Police
believe that Suradi and Ikhsan had harbored Bali bombing
suspects.

Bambang was picked up on Sept. 14. while Samian was picked up
on Aug. 17 and officially detained on Aug. 24.

Police say that investigators have obtained the necessary
statements from the suspects and were therefore releasing them.

Police arrested the 17 people for alleged involvement in plans
to perpetrate bombings in the capital. A top police detective
said that among the bomb targets were the National Police and
Jakarta Police headquarters.

The suspects were arrested in separate places in Jakarta,
Lampung, Semarang, Surakarta and Karanganyar. The last three were
arrested in Central Java.

Police also seized from some of them more than 1,000 rounds of
ammunition and dozens of kilograms of explosives.

The arrests, however, have increased public concern, mostly on
the part of Islamic organizations and human rights activists who
have questioned the procedure of the arrests. They claim the
arrests were against the suspects' basis rights as the police
failed to immediately inform their families of the arrests. They
also claim that many of the arrests were made without sufficient
evidence.

Meanwhile, National Police deputy spokesman Sr. Comr. Zainuri
Lubis said the police may not charge the first four suspects
released unless investigators could prove their involvement in
the planning of terror attacks.

"The first four terror suspects released earlier may become
witnesses if police find no clear proof of involvement," Zainuri
said.

Zainuri said the police were not worried about the possibility
of the suspects escaping or becoming involved in criminal
activities because their identities were clear.

"They have clear and valid identities, homes, families and
occupations, which will ensure that they don't repeat their
alleged wrongdoings," said Zainuri.