U.S. official regrets jail term reduction for militant leader

Tiarma Siboro and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A top U.S. official expressed dismay on Wednesday over the imminent release of Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, saying Washington believed he had "intense and deep involvement" in terrorist activities.

Speaking after a meeting here with Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge expected to see Ba'asyir be brought to justice on terrorism charges.

"Hopefully in due time, at least from our country's point of view and appreciation of the intense and deep involvement of Ba'asyir in both the execution and planning of terrorist activities ... at some point in time he will be brought to justice in a different way," Ridge said.

Ridge arrived here to the backdrop of the Supreme Court upholding Ba'asyir's conviction on immigration violations but reducing his sentence to 18 months.

The top court also annulled the lower courts' ruling that Ba'asyir set up Jamaah Islamiyah, an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist organization blamed for the Bali blasts in 2002 and the JW Marriott Hotel bombing in Jakarta in 2003.

The cleric will walk free on April 4 as a consequence of the sentence reduction.

Ba'asyir has consistently denied being a terror chief, although several of his followers have been convicted and sentenced to death for the Bali attacks.

It was only after a tip from terrorist suspect Umar al-Faruq that police arrested Ba'asyir after the Bali blasts in 2002. National Intelligence Agency chief A.M. Hendropriyono then handed over Faruq to the U.S., a move that sparked protest here.

Ridge did praise the Indonesian government's efforts to fight terrorism, including the convictions of the perpetrators of the Bali and Marriott Hotel bombings.

Susilo said Indonesia would continue its intelligence operations to make sure that "there is no room in Indonesia for terrorists to consolidate, to reorganize and to plan further strikes".

Ridge met with Susilo to explain the reasons behind Washington's decision to deploy agents at U.S. embassies and consulates in Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates as part of a sweeping overhaul of immigration procedures.

Ridge stressed that "such policy is imposed on everyone coming to our country and we did not discriminate against nations or religions".

Later on Wednesday, Ridge met with President Megawati Soekarnoputri to underline the U.S.'s commitment and solidarity with the Indonesian government in fighting terrorism.

"I came here to express America's solidarity with the ongoing efforts to secure our nations and our citizens.

"The U.S. has reaffirmed its commitment to continue to work closely and cooperatively with Indonesia in this mutual endeavor," Ridge said.