ASSOCIATED PRESS, Monday October 7, 2002
Australia Min: Indonesian Cleric Linked To Terrorist Group
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 7 (AP)--Australia is convinced that a prominent Indonesian
religious scholar is involved with an Islamic militant terrorist group accused of plotting
to bomb the U.S., Australian and British embassies in Singapore, Australian Foreign
Minister Alexander Downer said Monday.
But Indonesian authorities won't arrest the cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir, without clear
evidence he committed a crime that can be proven in a court, Downer said, urging
Indonesia to pass new antiterrorism legislation that has been under discussion for
months.
"We have no doubt that Bashir is a significant figure associated with Jemaah
Islamiyah," Downer told a news conference. "We urge countries in the region...to be
vigilant in dealing with this organization."
Jemaah Islamiyah has been linked to al-Qaida and has been accused of plotting to
destroy the embassies in Singapore as part of a campaign to establish a pan Islamic
state in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, Malaysia and the southern
Philippines.
Singapore and Malaysia have arrested scores of alleged members including a
Malaysian suspected of hosting two of the Sept. 11 hijackers in a meeting with
al-Qaida operatives in Kuala Lumpur in January 2000.
Malaysia, Singapore, the U.S., Australia and other countries accuse Bashir of being a
central figure in Jemaah Islamiyah, but the Indonesian government says it can take no
action against him because he hasn't committed any crime.
Islamic fundamentalists allied with President Megawati Sukarnoputri have expressed
support for Bashir.
Downer said he was "very concerned" about Bashir, but acknowledged there were
"political sensitivities in Indonesia about this issue."
He said Australia is working closely with Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in
dealing with Jemaah Islamiyah. He said Australia has reached agreements on
cooperating against terrorism with Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and would soon
try to complete one with the Philippines.
Downer was appearing at the East Asia Economic Summit, a gathering of political
and business leaders organized by the World Economic Forum to discuss security
issues in Asia.
Asked whether Australia, which has committed troops to fight alongside American
forces in Afghanistan, would again send soldiers to fight in Iraq, Downer said the
moment hadn't yet come for a decision.
He said the key issue facing the international community is to remove Iraqi President
Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, and the focus for now should be on
the U.N. Security Council resolution supporting arms inspections.
If Iraq defies the U.N., and the U.S. decides to invade, Australia would consider any
invitation to join the attack in line with "the circumstances of the time...in our national
interest," Downer said.
On Myanmar, Downer, who visited the military-ruled country last week, said he would
hold talks with U.N. envoy Razali Ismail to expedite political reforms.
On trade, Downer said Australia hopes to conclude a free trade agreement with
Singapore next month and enter talks on a similar arrangement with Thailand.
He also expressed optimism that Australia would be able to enter a free trade
agreement with the U.S. soon. He said negotiations wouldn't be easy but Australia
"absolutely must have improved access to the United States markets for our
agriculture products."
Copyright © 2002 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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