RI embassy denied access to suspect linked to terrorism

RI embassy denied access to suspect linked to terrorism

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian authorities in the United States had been denied
access to an Indonesian citizen accused by U.S authorities of
assisting suspected terrorists linked to the Al-Qaeda group,
Antara reported Wednesday.

Charge d'affaires T.A. Samoedra Sriwidjaja said the embassy in
Washington had contacted the Virginia court where Agus Budiman
had been charged.

Agus, who recently entered the U.S., was born on June 20,
1970, and is a recent architectural engineer graduate from
Hamburg University, Germany where suspected airline hijacker
Mohammad Atta and others are said to have been operating as a
terrorist cell.

"We have not been allowed to make direct contact with him
(Agus Budiman) and we really respect these rules," Samoedra was
quoted as saying.

Samoedra's statement contradicts a statement issued by Foreign
Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda that Indonesian diplomats had
already met with Agus.

Samoedra said Agus' case was being handled by a federal
marshal, signifying the seriousness of the case.

"This is a serious case, not an ordinary crime because it is
being handled by the federal marshal," Samoedra was quoted as
saying.

U.S authorities have arrested and charged Agus for helping
obtain a fake driver's license for a man identified as a contact
for Osama bin Laden, the principal suspect in the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks on the U.S.

The U.S. State Department has still to obtain more detailed
information on exactly who Agus Budiman, an Indonesian citizen,
is.

"Yes, we did hear of the arrest of an Indonesian, but we have
yet to receive adequate information about his case," Deputy U.S.
State Department Spokesman Philip Reeker was quoted by Antara as
saying on Wednesday.

Agus has been charged with helping Mohammad Bin Nasser Belfas,
an Indonesian-born German citizen, obtain a Virginia driver's
license.

Agus and Belfas are among 370 people included on a detailed
FBI list of people sought for questioning in relation to the
Sept. 11 attacks.

Agus appeared before a U.S. magistrate on Monday.

Minister Hassan said Agus was arrested in the U.S., but he
still had no information on whether Agus was really involved in
the attacks.

"Agus Budiman was arrested in the U.S. earlier this month and
will face trial on Nov. 30 for two violations -- overstaying and
becoming an illegal worker," Hassan said.

He further said that Agus' alleged involvement in the attacks
as mentioned by the U.S. authorities still needed to be
confirmed.

"He (Agus) reportedly helped facilitate a certain person
linked to terrorist groups in obtaining an identification card.
We have yet to receive any confirmation from the U.S.
government," he added.

The Indonesian embassy has began checking Agus' identity to
determine whether or not he is an Indonesian citizen and the
holder of an Indonesian passport.

"We will investigate this case and monitor its progress,"
Samoedra said.