TEMPO, Friday, 03 September, 2004 | 22:39 WIB
National
Convicted Bali Bomber Ali Imron Used to Trace Dr. Azahari
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:National Police headquarters have said that the police are
using Ali Imron, sentenced to life for his part in the Bali bombing case, to trace the
whereabouts of Dr. Azahari and Noor Din Mohammad Top.
These are two Malaysians who are alleged to be the masterminds of various bombing
incidents in Indonesia.
National Police chief of detectives Comm. Gen. Suyitno Landung made this statement
to reporters at a press conference held in his office in Jakarta on Thursday (02/09)
related to the appearance of Ali Imron in a café on Wednesday night (01/09).
Ali Imron was seen with National Police HQ's director of drugs, detectives and crimes
Brig. Gen. Gorries Mere, Indonesian psychologist Sarlito Wirawan and several other
men bringing weapons at the Starbucks Coffee café, Plaza X, Jakarta on that day.
Imron said that he was used to hanging out with Mere, known as a police officer who
is active in handling terrorism cases.
According to Landung, it is possible for a convicted criminal to be together with police
detectives as long as this is for investigation purpose.
Landung said that Imron has been "borrowed" from the penitentiary in Bali, in which
he was detained, with the approval of the penitentiary head.
Meanwhile, National Police HQ spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman said that the police
detectives were allowed to carry out anything as long it was aimed at finding
necessary information.
Mohammad Assegaf, a member of the Muslim Lawyers Team, considered the police
of having used Ali Imron to make up a situation to support the legal charges against
Indonesian Mujahiddin Council (MMI) supreme leader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, who was
allegedly involved in the JW Marriott Hotel bombing in Jakarta.
According to Assegaf, the special treatment of Imron has been seen since the
investigation into the Bali bombing incident was conducted.
According to Assegaf, Ali Imron is the only Bali bombing convicted who was charged
with a 20-year jail sentence and then sentenced to life imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the other convicted Bali bombers, such as Amrozi, Imam Samudera and
Ali Ghufron, each received the death sentence.
"It means that Ali Imron has received concession and he has to repay something for
that," Assegaf stated.
House of Representatives (DPR) defense and security commission chairman Ibrahim
Ambong said he regretted the recent incident of Ali Imron.
According to Ambong, this incident will result in questions from the general public.
"At least, the public opinion will not be very good about this matter," said Ambong.
Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer said in Adelaide, Australia,
that he was convinced that Ali Imron would not be released from jail.
In Bali, Isana Dewata, an organization consisting of Bali bombing victims' families,
criticized the police for having let Ali Imron appear in front of the public.
"We really can not accept this. That man should be in jail. How can he now be
allowed in a café?" said the chairman of Isana Dewata, Raden Suprio Laksono.
(Badriah/Rofiqi/Rachmadi/Edy Can/Sita/Isti-Koran Tempo)
copyright TEMPO 2003
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