LAKSAMANA.Net, October 23, 2003 12:58 AM
Waiting For Hambali
Laksamana.Net - The US has promised to "eventually" hand over suspected
international terrorist Hambali to Indonesia for trial, says Foreign Minister Hassan
Wirayuda.
US authorities still need more time to interrogate Hambali, the minister told reporters
on Wednesday (22/10/03) shortly after a visit to Bali by US President George W.
Bush.
"But eventually not only information or access will be given to [Indonesian] police to
question Hambali but the US will also hand over Hambali to Indonesian officials," he
was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse.
Hambali, an Indonesian cleric, is alleged to be a senior member of Osama bin Laden's
al Qaeda organization and former operations chief of regional terrorism network
Jemaah Islamiyah.
Jemaah Islamiyah has been blamed for a series of bomb attacks in Southeast Asia,
including last year's Bali nightclub bombings that killed 202 people.
Indonesian-born Hambali was arrested in Thailand in August by Thai authorities and
the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is currently being held by US authorities at
an undisclosed location.
Wirayuda said President Megawati Sukarnoputri had raised the issue of Hambali
during her closed door meeting with Bush earlier on Wednesday.
He said Megawati requested that Indonesian security personnel be given an
opportunity to meet and question the suspected terrorist mastermind.
In response to the request, Bush asked for Indonesia's understanding and
preparedness to exercise some patience, added the minister.
Reprimand
Vice President Hamzah Haz on Wednesday said the House of Representatives could
reprimand the government if security measures for Bush's visit were regarded as
excessive.
"The House is free to reprimand the government if it thinks the security measures
were exaggerated and lowered the nation's dignity," he was quoted as saying by state
news agency Antara.
Thousands of soldiers, police and US Secret Service agents, supported by warships
and helicopters, provided tight security during Bush's four-hour stopover in Bali.
Religious Leaders
During his visit, Bush held talks with the following Indonesian religious leaders:
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi, Muhammadiyah chairman Syafii
Maarif, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic Institute rector Azyumardi Azra, Indonesian
Churches Union (PGI) executive Nathan Setiabudi, and Hindu Council of Religious
Affairs (PHDI) executive Ida Pedanda Gede Made Gunung.
Muzadi said he told the US president that Indonesia is not a haven of terrorists, as is
often assumed in the West.
He also said the religious leaders asked Bush about his "imbalanced" policy
concerning Israel and Palestine, as well as the US invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Muzadi said they also urged the US to leave Iraq, to which Bush replied: "As soon as
possible".
"It seems like there was concern from President George Bush. We will only see later
how the follow-up steps are taken," he was quoted as saying by AFP.
Maarif said: "There was a positive impression but we have to wait and see whether
this dialogue will be fruitful."
"I feel Bush heard us. Imagine anything scheduled for 30 minutes lasted 55 minutes.
According to me that's something we should be grateful to God for," he added.
Meanwhile, Setiabudi said he told Bush to show "concrete and clear changes as far
as both foreign policy and your attitude, which seems to be indeed anti-Islam, are
concerned".
He said Bush showed an unexpected openness, although people had been skeptical
the meeting would achieve much.
Setiabudi also said Bush apologized to the religious leaders his references to a
"crusade" against terrorism. Many Muslims were offended by the term, which strictly
refers to the barbarous Crusades waged against Islam by medieval Christians.
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