RI students suspected of terror acts
RI students suspected of terror acts
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Pakistani authorities concluded that the six Indonesian students
arrested earlier this year in that country were allegedly
involved in terror activities.
Indonesian ministry of foreign affairs spokesman Marty
Natalegawa said that based on the conclusion, Indonesian
authorities were currently looking into the investigation.
"The inquiry has been completed and some are allegedly
involved in the terrorist activities and others are in terrorist
cells," Marty told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
Pakistan authorities detained six Indonesian students and 13
Malaysian students in September, with preliminary allegations of
visa violations.
Among the detained students is Rusman Gunawan, the younger
brother of suspected terrorist Hambali, who is currently being
held by the United States.
The other five students are Muhammad Saifuddin, Ilham Sopandi,
Furquon Abdullah, Muhammad Anwar Asshidique and David Pintarto,
all students of Abubakar Islamic University.
In his earlier confession, Gunawan said that he helped his
brother Hambali in planning terror activities.
Pakistan authorities said that the students did not plan any
terror strikes in Pakistan.
"We are waiting for the Indonesian police decision on whether
they will arrest them as soon as they arrive here or whether they
will be allowed to go home as free men," Marty said.
Despite the results from the Pakistani investigation, the
Indonesian police cannot arrest the men without legal proof
according to Indonesian law that would link them to terrorist
acts. "We have to establish whether the police are interested in
interrogating these men before they can be brought home," Marty
said.
Earlier reports said that the U.S. may not object to the
possibility of Rusman and the rest of the detained students being
transferred to Indonesia.
Hambali, an Indonesian citizen known as the main terror
suspect in Southeast Asia, was arrested in August. He remains
under U.S. custody as he was said to hold much information of
terror activities worldwide, including that related to the Sept.
11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.
Many of the Indonesians arrested linked to terrorist
activities in the region were said to be studying in either
Pakistan or Afghanistan.
The issue has been raised in a number of talks between
Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Pakistan
President Pervez Musharraf.
Megawati is slated to visit the country as part of her journey
to attend the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN)-Japan
commemorative Summit on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12 in Tokyo.
She will leave for Japan on Dec. 9 and is slated to be in
Karachi on Dec.14.