Ulemas support sought in fight against terrorists

Ulemas support sought in fight against terrorists

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta
Post, Jakarta

Maintaining its cautious stance regarding the alleged activities
of international terrorist groups in the country, the government
plans to consult moderate ulemas before launching an
antiterrorism crackdown.

State Minister for Communications and Information Syamsul
Mu'arif told reporters on Tuesday that the National Police would
organize a meeting with the ulemas, who are expected to provide
the advice the security authorities need to move ahead.

"We will not talk to the radical groups, but those parts of
society who are able to lead us to a certain stand," Syamsul said
after a limited ministerial meeting hosted by President Megawati
Soekarnoputri at her residence on Jl. Teuku Umar, Central
Jakarta.

Syamsul declined to elaborate further, saying that the details
of the policy would be announced in one week.

It was the first meeting focusing on the terrorist threat
since the revelations last week about the arrests of suspected
terrorists linked to al-Qaeda, Umar al-Faruq and Seyam Reda.
While Al-Faruq, who claimed to have plotted the assassination of
Megawati, has been handed over to the United States, Reda is
being interrogated by the National Police.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Minister of Defense Matori Abdul
Djalil, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza
Mahendra, National Intelligence Agency chief A.M. Hendropriyono,
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar and Army Chief of Staff
Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu were among those attending the meeting,
which followed talks on terrorism hosted by Susilo earlier in the
day.

The meeting came after U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L.
Boyce told Muslim leaders that his government saw indications
that al-Qaeda terrorist cells were present in Indonesia.

It also came against the backdrop of a statement by the U.S.
assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific Matthew
Daley, who said in Hanoi that his country was considering whether
to designate the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) radical Muslim organization
operating in Southeast Asia as a terrorist group.

Singapore has openly accused Indonesian Muslim figure Abu
Bakar Ba'asyir of being behind the JI, an allegation flatly
denied by the Surakarta, Central Java-based cleric.

Daley, who is on a visit to Southeast Asia that includes stops
in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, referred to the Jemaah Islamiah as
"the Abu Bakar Ba'asyir organization", which he said would
differentiate it from other groups with a similar name.

Syamsul refused to link the government's approach to moderate
Muslim leaders to the allegations against Ba'asyir, who earlier
this year was questioned by the National Police in connection
with the Singaporean allegations against him.

"We respect U.S. opinion, but we will only follow up on data
we have already obtained in accordance with the prevailing laws,"
Syamsul said.

Many believe that if the government arrests Ba'asyir, it risks
sparking protests among hard-line Muslims, who could threaten the
leadership of Megawati.

Vice President Hamzah Haz is among those who will jump to the
defense of Ba'asyir should he be arrested without proper
evidence.

The arrest of al-Faruq itself has sparked criticism and raised
many eyebrows as it was conducted without the knowledge of the
National Police, the only institution authorized by law to make
carry out such an action.

Syamsul also said that in handling terrorist threats the
government would soon submit to the House of Representatives the
antiterrorism bill, and would also consider activating the 1999
state security law, the implementation of which was suspended due
to a public outcry.

Minister of Justice Yusril said an antiterrorism law was badly
needed to cope with terrorism issues.

"We face difficulties in taking any measures against the
terrorist suspects without such a law as an umbrella.

"This is also the reason why we cannot arrest the masterminds
behind recent unrest. Bombing and grenade-throwing can also be
categorized as acts of terror," he said.