The Jakarta Post, June 08, 2002
Ja'far wants to confront witness
National News - June 08, 2002
JAKARTA: Currently in police custody over agitation charges and accusations of
insulting President Megawati Soekarnoputri, arrested Laskar Jihad commander Ja'far
Umar Thalib said on Friday he wanted National Police detectives to confront him with
the Laskar Jihad follower who reportedly had given incriminating testimony against
him.
"I am ready to be tried anywhere in Indonesia. I am not worried. I plan to ask police to
confront me with a Laskar Jihad member, whom they say has allegedly given
incriminating testimony against me," Ja'far told reporters, following Friday prayers at a
mosque in the National Police compound.
Ja'far added that other than the Laskar Jihad member, a police officer had given
incriminating evidence against him.
The Muslim hard-line figure was arrested at Surabaya's Juanda airport on May 4,
following an outbreak of violence in Maluku, where he had reportedly made provocative
speeches.
In response to the demand, National Police chief of detectives for general crimes Brig.
Gen. Aryanto Sutadi said that a suspect had no right to make such a demand.
"Any confrontation between a witness and a suspect is the investigators' prerogative,
and not the suspect's," Aryanto said.
Separately, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Friday that he had
selected three candidates as possible replacements for incumbent Maluku Police
chief Brig. Gen. Soenarko. He refused to identify the candidates, saying he would
announce his choice upon his return from an upcoming visit to the Maluku capital of
Ambon. -- JP
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