The Jakarta Post, 12/11/2003 2:33:06 PM
Indonesian investigators fly home with terror suspects arrested
by Pakistan
KARACHI, Pakistan (AFP): Six Indonesian students detained in Pakistan on
suspicion of terrorist links have been deported back to Jakarta, an official said
Thursday.
The six Indonesians, who had been studying at the Abu Bakar University in the
southern city of Karachi before their arrest, include Rusman Gunawan, a younger
brother of top terror suspect Hambali.
"They have been flown to Jakarta, after they were handed over to a team of Indonesian
officials," deputy director of Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency Mohammad
Malik told AFP.
They were taken to the airport under tight security, he said, but refused to give further
details.
The six had been due to return to Indonesia on Wednesday but their departure was
delayed because of a lack of airline seats, Indonesian detective chief Erwin
Mappaseng said in Jakarta.
Indonesian investigators arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday to take custody of the terror
suspects and question them following their interrogation by Pakistani officials.
Islamabad-based security officials said the students were part of "a sleeper cell" of
the al-Qaeda-linked JI. JI is blamed for a string of attacks including the Bali blasts that
killed 202 people in October 2002.
Hambali has been in U.S. custody at a secret location since his arrest in Thailand on
Aug. 1.
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