U.S. allows RI to question Hambali
U.S. allows RI to question Hambali
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The United States has granted Indonesia access to interrogate
Indonesian-born terrorist suspect Hambali more than two weeks
after his arrest in Thailand and his transfer to a U.S. custody.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Wednesday
that he received confirmation about the permission to question
Hambali from U.S. ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L. Boyce.
"There was confirmation from the U.S. ambassador to Indonesia
today that the Indonesian Police would be given access to
interrogate Hambali," Hassan told reporters.
However, he said there was not yet a clear timetable and it
was not known if there would be any conditions for the Indonesian
police to interrogate Hambali, who has been implicated in the
deadly Bali bombings on Oct. 12, 2002, the JW Marriot Hotel
bombing in Jakarta last Oct. 5, and a string of church bombings
on Christmas Eve in 2000.
Hassan went on to say that it was not necessary to challenge
the interrogation of Hambali in the U.S. or in Indonesia.
"There is a common international interest to fight against
terrorism under the name of multinational cooperation," he said.
With the U.S government giving Indonesian Police access to
interrogate Hambali, it was the second time since the war on
terror began in 2001, that police investigators have been allowed
to question a terror suspect, with Indonesian connections, being
held by the U.S.
The first terrorist suspect in U.S. custody questioned by the
Indonesian Police was Omar al-Faruq, believed to be a top aide of
al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Southeast Asia.
During the interrogation, al-Faruq disclosed a link between
Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) as well as a plan to
launch a series of bombing attacks and to assassinate President
Megawati when she was vice president.
However, al-Faruq's interrogation by the Indonesian police was
reportedly conducted under strict conditions set by the U.S.
government including "yes and no" questions only.
The Indonesian Police had reportedly sent officers to the U.S.
following Hambali's arrest.
In addition to interrogation access, much of the local
population and media have also called on the government to bring
Hambali back to Indonesia and try him in his homeland.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri and U.S. President George W.
Bush, apparently spoke on the phone about the Hambali issue and
there have been varying reports about what was discussed.
Hambali, born as Encep Nurjaman in Sukamanah village, Cianjur,
West Java, 39 years ago, was arrested in Thailand on Aug. 11.
He was reportedly carrying a phony Spanish passport under the
name of Daniel when he was arrested, making it difficult to
determine whether or not he still holds his Indonesian
citizenship.
With a possibly complicated status, the Indonesian government
has been seemingly reluctant to provide protection for Hambali's
rights while under U.S. custody.
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The United States has granted Indonesia access to interrogate
Indonesian-born terrorist suspect Hambali more than two weeks
after his arrest in Thailand and his transfer to a U.S. custody.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Wednesday
that he received confirmation about the permission to question
Hambali from U.S. ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L. Boyce.
"There was confirmation from the U.S. ambassador to Indonesia
today that the Indonesian Police would be given access to
interrogate Hambali," Hassan told reporters.
However, he said there was not yet a clear timetable and it
was not known if there would be any conditions for the Indonesian
police to interrogate Hambali, who has been implicated in the
deadly Bali bombings on Oct. 12, 2002, the JW Marriot Hotel
bombing in Jakarta last Oct. 5, and a string of church bombings
on Christmas Eve in 2000.
Hassan went on to say that it was not necessary to challenge
the interrogation of Hambali in the U.S. or in Indonesia.
"There is a common international interest to fight against
terrorism under the name of multinational cooperation," he said.
With the U.S government giving Indonesian Police access to
interrogate Hambali, it was the second time since the war on
terror began in 2001, that police investigators have been allowed
to question a terror suspect, with Indonesian connections, being
held by the U.S.
The first terrorist suspect in U.S. custody questioned by the
Indonesian Police was Omar al-Faruq, believed to be a top aide of
al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Southeast Asia.
During the interrogation, al-Faruq disclosed a link between
Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) as well as a plan to
launch a series of bombing attacks and to assassinate President
Megawati when she was vice president.
However, al-Faruq's interrogation by the Indonesian police was
reportedly conducted under strict conditions set by the U.S.
government including "yes and no" questions only.
The Indonesian Police had reportedly sent officers to the U.S.
following Hambali's arrest.
In addition to interrogation access, much of the local
population and media have also called on the government to bring
Hambali back to Indonesia and try him in his homeland.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri and U.S. President George W.
Bush, apparently spoke on the phone about the Hambali issue and
there have been varying reports about what was discussed.
Hambali, born as Encep Nurjaman in Sukamanah village, Cianjur,
West Java, 39 years ago, was arrested in Thailand on Aug. 11.
He was reportedly carrying a phony Spanish passport under the
name of Daniel when he was arrested, making it difficult to
determine whether or not he still holds his Indonesian
citizenship.
With a possibly complicated status, the Indonesian government
has been seemingly reluctant to provide protection for Hambali's
rights while under U.S. custody.