Scapegoat claim by RI suspects

Yogita Tahilramani and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono dismissed speculation on Wednesday that the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) was behind the recent arrests of three Indonesians in Manila possession of bomb materials.

Speculation arose after one of the arrested men, Tamsil Linrung, who is the former treasurer of the National Mandate Party (PAN), contacted a number of reporters in Jakarta stating that the arrests were a result of "engineered information" provided by BIN officers to Philippine authorities.

"This is the doing of a prominent intelligence official. I have been made a scapegoat... I have been trapped. When I come back to Jakarta, I will disclose this to the public," Tamsil told a number of senior reporters in the capital.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting on political and security affairs, Susilo further asserted on Wednesday that such an allegation was untrue since investigation into the three Indonesians had yet come to any conclusion.

"Some days ago, speculation was rife in the media that we (the government) have played a role in the arrest of those three Indonesians by supplying intelligence information to the Philippine police... We would not go that far," Susilo said.

Tamsil, Abdul Jamal Balfas and Agus Dwikarna were nabbed on March 15 at Ninoy Aquino Airport as they were heading to Thailand. They are charged with illegal possession of explosives and immigration violations.

Rumors have lately circulated that BIN officials had told Philippine authorities that the three men were allegedly members of al-Qaeda-linked Indonesian Muslim groups.

The same denials were voiced by National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, who said that police sent to meet the men in the Philippines had yet to find clear reasons behind the arrests.

"We are considering filing a formal objection against the arrests, but we need more evidence and time," Da'i told reporters.

Ironically, PAN deputy chairman A.M. Fatwa said he was notified of the arrests by two BIN officials.

"The officials stated that Tamsil had been arrested for carrying a bomb... but then, we found out that, this was not the case," Fatwa told reporters on Wednesday.