Police to monitor foreign citizens
Police to monitor foreign citizens
Rendi A. Witular and Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The police will intensify security measures at home, including by
closely monitoring foreign citizens entering the country, as a
precaution to prevent new terrorist attacks following the escape
of international terrorist Omar al-Farouq from a U.S. detention
facility.
"Of course we'll be vigilant. It means that we'll take
measures to prevent negative incidents from occurring in
Indonesia. Hopefully, he (al-Farouq) will not reenter this
country," National Police chief Gen. Sutanto announced on Monday.
"Basically, we'll boost security measures, including (by
monitoring) foreigners entering the country," he added.
Sutanto said that the police would also continue to monitor
the activities of al-Farouq's family and friends here.
"We have questioned his (Indonesian) wife, but she claims she
doesn't know anything."
Al-farouq, one of the leaders of the al-Qaeda terror network,
and three other inmates escaped from a U.S. maximum security
military prison in Afghanistan in July, but it was only fully
revealed to the media recently.
A lieutenant of Osama bin Laden, Al-farouq was captured by
Indonesian authorities in 2002 in Bogor, West Java, and handed
over to U.S. authorities. Prior to his capture, Al-farouq married
an Indonesian woman, 27-year-old Mira Agustina.
The escape of al-Farouq has raised concerns that he might take
retaliatory measures by launching new attacks on Indonesia.
There has been warnings from other countries that terrorists
might make new strikes in the country before year-end.
Elsewhere, Sutanto said that the Indonesian government had
used diplomatic channels to seek an official explanation from the
U.S. about al-Farouq's escape.
"A diplomatic approach has been taken to obtain clear
information about the case. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is
still waiting for the official notification," he said.
The government has been facing strong criticism for failing to
quickly seek an explanation from the U.S. government about the
escape in order to ascertain necessary measures to prevent new
terror attacks in the country.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta declined to comment on
why Washington had failed to inform Indonesia on the escape of
al-Farouq.
"I have no comment. The (U.S.) attorney general spoke in an
interview with CNN last week," said Max Kwak, press attache of
the U.S. Embassy on Monday, adding that he suggested The Jakarta
Post get a copy of the interview.
U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales described the apparent
breakdown in communication as a "serious problem" and told CNN
that it would be investigated.