ABC AUSTRALIA, 16/04/2004 22:46:02
Indonesia declares Bashir a terror suspect
Indonesian police have named Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir a terror suspect and
are focusing on possible links to the Bali blasts and his alleged leadership of the
Jemaah Islamiah militant network.
A spokesman for the attorney-general says the Jakarta prosecutor's office has
received a notification letter from police of their investigation into the cleric.
Quoting from the letter, the spokesman says investigators have conducted a probe
into the suspect, who is believed to have carried out terrorist action.
Bashir is in jail for immigration offences and is due to be released on April 30 after 18
months, but the latest legal moves would allow police to keep him under detention.
Under Indonesia's Terrorism Act the cleric can be held in jail without charge during an
investigation for up to six months at a time.
Lawyers for Bashir say they have not yet been notified of the change in his status, but
say police will have to give them three days notice before he is questioned as a terror
suspect.
The police chief, General Da'i Bachtiar, declined to give any details about the fresh
charges against Bashir, whose impending release had alarmed the United States and
other governments.
Foreign governments accuse Bashir of having led Jemaah Islamiah, which is blamed a
string of attacks across South East Asia, including the October 2002 Bali bombings
A police spokesman recently said testimony and statements from terrorism suspects
detained in the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore would be used in the Bashir
probe.
16/04/2004 22:46:02 | ABC Radio Australia News
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