Sjafrie threatens to sue ICG

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin will file a suit against the International Crisis Group (ICG) should it fail to revise its latest report on Jamaah Islamiah's operations in Indonesia.

"The report could cause public misinterpretation as it links me to one of the Jamaah Islamiah members, Fauzi Hasbi of Aceh province. It even said that I still maintain regular communication with him.

"The report is incorrect. My first acquaintance with Fauzi was in 1977 when he, a former member of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), surrendered to the armed forces.

"I never met him again until two years ago -- after almost 23 years later -- he met me in connection with his writing a book about GAM leader Hassan Tiro," Sjafrie said.

According to Sjafrie, he will take legal action against ICG if it failed to revise the report by Friday.

Based on the ICG's press release, it said that the report had not in any way accused Sjafrie of being involved in JI. The release also said that such a distortion had arisen from a misquoting of the report. "We invite the Indonesian public to read our report thoroughly." --JP