The Jakarta Post, October 17, 2002
Minister: Indonesian citizens lead Jamaah Islamiyah
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Amid increasing international pressure, the Indonesian government admitted for the
first time on Wednesday that leaders of Jema'ah Islamiyah (JI), a suspected
international terrorist organization, were Indonesian citizens.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
said there would be legal action taken against the leaders as soon as there was any
indication that the JI leaders were terrorists.
However, the minister insisted that JI was not operating in Indonesia, but in
neighboring Singapore and Malaysia.
"There are Indonesian citizens, who once stayed in Malaysia, leading the
organization, such as the late Abdullah Sungkar, Abu Bakar Baasyir and Hambali,"
Susilo said after a meeting with visiting Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer.
"Other countries have described JI as a terrorist organization, and we cannot dismiss
that it conducts its operations in those countries," he added.
"Should there be indications that its leaders in Indonesia have been involved in
terrorist acts because of their membership in the organization, then legal measures
will be taken against them," the minister said.
Susilo's statement confirmed speculation that the Indonesian government is
considering cracking down on the group, following the Bali bomb attacks last
Saturday night.
Pressure has mounted for Indonesia to arrest Baasyir, especially after Australian and
United States officials publicly accused JI of being behind the carnage, which has
claimed more than 180 lives and injured hundreds of others.
"As soon as we find strong indications of Abu Bakar Baasyir's involvement in the
terrorist network, there will be strong legal action taken against him," Susilo
underlined.
The minister said the government would wait for a report from the Indonesian
government team, which is questioning another suspected terrorist Omar Al-faruq who
was arrested in Bogor, West Java, last June and is currently detained by the U.S.
government, before deciding further steps.
"The team will return home within two to three days. Then, we will see from there,"
Susilo asserted.
Dozens of JI members had been arrested in the Southeast Asian region for their
alleged terrorist activities following the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington
last year.
Sources at the National Police Headquarters said National Police chief of detectives
Insp. Gen. Engkesman Hillep had assigned his men to question Baasyir on Thursday
about JI's activities.
Responding to the latest demand from Australia and the U.S. to insert JI in the United
Nations (UN) terrorist list, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda
said the government would wait for the results of the government's investigative team.
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