Mon, 10 Feb 2003

Slamet moved to Pekanbaru for further investigation

Haidir Anwar Tandjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau

Terror suspect Slamet bin Kastari, the alleged leader of Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) in Singapore, underwent further interrogation in relation to falsifying identity documents, Riau Police said over the weekend.

Slamet was flown to Riau Police Headquarters on Saturday from the town of Tanjung Pinang in the regency aboard a Merpati flight. He was heavily guarded by elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) police. Riau Police chief Brig. Gen. Dedy S. Komaruddin led the operation.

Riau Police chief detective Sr. Comr. Syafrizal said the police were yet to link the suspect to terrorist bombings across Indonesia, including the Bali blasts that killed almost 200 people last October.

"With the possession of fake identity cards, we consider that he was falsifying documents," Syafrizal told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

"We questioned him because he was violating the immigration law, while he was here (in Pekanbaru)," he said.

Slamet will be charged with violating Law No. 53 on immigration and Article 266 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment.

"We will immediately submit his dossier to prosecutors as soon as we finish the investigation," Syafrizal said.

The suspect was arrested two weeks ago by police in Tanjung Pinang as the Singapore government put him on the wanted list of people linked to terrorism in the neighboring city state.

Jamaah Islamiyah has been linked to the Bali attack.

Officials in Jakarta have said Slamet would not be extradited to Singapore due to the absence of an extradition treaty between the two countries.

Slamet, a Singaporean citizen, has been accused of involvement in several terror plots against United States' interests in Singapore last year. But security there managed to foil the alleged attacks.

When asked about Slamet's possible involvement in the Bali blasts, Syafrizal replied: "That question should be posed to National Police Headquarters, not to me."

He said both Slamet and his wife Norlela binti Sahali, who is detained at the Tanjung Pinang police station, were accused of holding fake identity cards from Mandau subdistrict in Riau.

The documents under the names of Edi Heriyanto and Sakinah were fake as they were not signed by the authorized officials, Syafrizal said.

The secretary of the Mandau subdistrict administration was arrested for helping falsify the passports and other identity documents for Slamet and his wife.

Five other officials, including one identified as Fatmawati from a local travel bureau, were also arrested.

Fatmawati admitted that she received Rp 1 million to help Slamet's wife obtain a passport.