Police yet to link Hambali with al-Qaeda

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police said on Tuesday they had yet to link Hambali, the alleged leader of the Jamaah Islamiyah group, with al-Qaeda, following foreign media reports saying that the Osama bin Laden-led international terrorist network had financed last year's Bali bombings and had conspired in the planning of fresh attacks on Southeast Asia.

"Police have insufficient information to link Hambali with al- Qaeda thus far," said National Police deputy spokesman Sr. Comr. Zainuri Lubis.

Zainuri said Indonesian police wanted Hambali, who was born as Encep Nurjaman, for his alleged involvement in the Christmas Eve bombings in 2000 and the Bali blasts last year.

"His name was repeatedly mentioned by suspects already arrested in those bombings," Zainuri told a media briefing.

Time reported in its Monday's edition, citing a copy of Hambali's affidavit, that he had told U.S. investigators that al- Qaeda had sent him US$30,000 to finance the bomb attacks in Bali, which left 202 people dead, mostly foreign tourists.

Al-Qaeda was also pleased with the Bali bombings, the report said, prompting it to provide additional money totaling $100,000. About $45,000 was given to Jamaah Islamiyah in Indonesia, another $15,000 to the families of the imprisoned Bali bombers and $30,000 to finance new attacks, the statement said.

However, Zainuri conceded police would make use of any information they had, including the Time report, as the material would need to be verified in the interrogation of Hambali if Indonesian police were granted access by the U.S. to question him.

"Police simply cannot confirm whether the information is right or wrong until police investigators have had the opportunity to question him in person," he said.

Hambali, who was arrested in mid-August in Thailand by Thai and U.S. authorities, is being quizzed at the U.S.-British air base on Britain's remote Indian Ocean island, Diego Garcia, near Madagascar.

Asked whether police would insist on the U.S. providing access to Hambali, Zainuri said the matter rested with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Police depend on the efforts of the foreign ministry as the issue involves diplomacy. The police have no authority in handling diplomatic talks with foreign authorities," said Zainuri.