The Jakarta Post, 10/16/2002 1:54:51 PM
Jemaah Islamiyah doesn't exist in Indonesia, top security
minister says
JAKARTA (Agencies): Coordinating Minister for Defense and Security Bambang
Susilo Yudhoyono claimed here on Wednesday, "as an organization, Jemaah
Islamiyah doesn't exist in Indonesia."
But, it did exist in Singapore and Malaysia and Indonesian citizens, including Abu
Bakar Ba'asyir, "were the former leaders," he was quoted by AP as saying.
Abu Bakar was scheduled to submit himself to police questioning on Wednesday and
Thursday at his own initiative, to press a libel suit against Time magazine over an
article that implicated him in terrorist activities.
There was no indication whether he would respond to questions about the Bali
bombings. Police didn't confirm widespread rumors that he would be arrested.
However, Susilo said the government would prosecute alleged local leaders of Jemaah
Islamiyah if there was evidence they were engaged in international terrorism.
"What is certain is that once there is strong evidence, that there is any early
indication that there are Indonesians involved, we will take action," Susilo said, as
quoted by AFP after meeting Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
"If there are links or indications that the leaders of Jemaah Islamiyah who are
currently in Indonesia are involved in terrorism because of their association with
Jemaah Islamiyah, Indonesia will of course take the appropriate legal steps against
them," he added.
Neighboring countries say Jemaah Islamiyah is a regional terror network with links to
al-Qaeda. Many of its alleged members are in detention in Singapore on suspicion of
plotting a bombing campaign against U.S. targets.
Abu Bakar, who spent three years in Malaysia and Singapore in the 1980s, has been
named by Singapore as the spiritual leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah.
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