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.