The Jakarta Post, December 13, 2003
Police question students over terrorism connection
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Police began on Friday the questioning of the brother of top terrorist suspect Hambali
and his five fellow students over their alleged involvement in several terror attacks in
Indonesia, just after their arrival from Pakistan overnight.
National Police director of antiterrorism Brig. Gen. Pranowo said the students were
questioned under Law No. 15/2003 on antiterrorism, which allows the police to detain
the students up to a week without a warrant.
"We are questioning them in connection with several acts of terrorism in Indonesia,"
Pranowo said.
Rusman Gunawan, alias Gun Gun, the brother of Hambali, Mohammad Syaifudin,
Ilham Sofyandi, David Pintarto, Furqon Abdullah and Muhammad Anwar As-Shadaqqi
arrived here at 10 p.m. on Thursday and were put in the custody of Jakarta Police.
They were arrested by the Pakistani authorities in Karachi early in September for their
alleged involvement in terrorist activities.
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Intelligence Agency and
National Police had been sent to Pakistan to carry out a cross-examination of the
students and take them home.
Gun Gun has admitted to having sent US$50,000 and telecommunications equipment
to his brother Hambali, who is believed to be the leader of the Al-Qaeda-linked
Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) regional terrorist network.
JI has been blamed for a string of terrorist attacks in the region, including the Bali
bombings on Oct. 12, 2002 and the JW Marriott Hotel attack in Jakarta on Aug. 5,
2003.
Hambali has been in U.S. custody at an undisclosed location since October, following
his capture in Thailand in August.
Pranowo declined to reveal the results of the interrogations either in Pakistan or
Indonesia saying that the police were in the process of questioning them.
National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko said the police would soon
inform the students' relatives of their detention.
Soenarko said the police had not decided whether the students were witnesses or
suspects.
"Just wait for the interrogation first because the results can lead in every direction," he
said.
One of the students' lawyers, Achmad Michdan, said the police had not informed
them and the students' families.
"I just knew from the press that my clients had arrived in Jakarta. The police have not
contacted us or the families," said Achmad of the Muslim Lawyers Team.
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