Release of terror suspects delayed

Irvan NR, Palu

The Central Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office has postponed the planned release of three people acquitted by a provincial high court of terrorism charges. However, the reason behind the postponement is still unclear.

Officials at Maesa Penitentiary in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi, refused to talk to journalists on the planned release, which was supposed to occur late on Monday.

"The chief of the penitentiary is not at the office," an official said on Tuesday.

The three people in question were Firmansyah, Aang Hasanuddin and Fajri, who were sentenced by Palu district court on terrorism charges, but were then acquitted by the Central Sulawesi High Court.

The three were put on trial for hiding Achmad Roichan, a defendant in the Bali bombing in 2002.

Following its defeat in the High Court, the Palu Prosecutor's Office is seeking to appeal to the Supreme Court.

According to legal convention established by the Supreme Court, the three are permitted to walk free while the Supreme Court deliberates the appeal filed by the Palu Prosecutor's Office.

Nizam Kaleb, who is a friend of Firmansyah and was sentenced to five years imprisonment on terrorism charges, said that he had heard rumors that the three would be released immediately, following the verdict by the high court.

He said that they were supposed to be released late on Monday, but as of Monday night were still held at the penitentiary.

"They have met the chief of Maesa penitentiary and said their farewells, but I don't understand why they have not left the penitentiary yet," said Nizam there.

He alleged that a visit by the chief of the Palu Prosecutor's Office on Monday morning to the penitentiary must have had something to do with the postponement.

Asludin Hatjani, the lawyer of the three people, said that he would ask immediately the Palu and Central Sulawesi prosecutor's offices why they had postponed the planned release of the three.