INDONESIA: JAKARTA SEEKS ACCESS SUSPECTED MASTERMIND OF 2002 BALI NIGHTCLUB BOMBINGS HAMBALI HELD BY U.S. OFFICIALS FOLLOWING HIS CAPTURE IN THAILAND

Record ID: 584722

  • Title: INDONESIA: JAKARTA SEEKS ACCESS SUSPECTED MASTERMIND OF 2002 BALI NIGHTCLUB BOMBINGS HAMBALI HELD BY U.S. OFFICIALS FOLLOWING HIS CAPTURE IN THAILAND
  • Date: 18th August 2003
  • Summary: (W3) JAKARTA, INDONESIA (AUGUST 18, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. LAS: EXTERIOR OF SARI PACIFIC HOTEL WHERE NEWS CONFERENCE BEING HELD; SUCURITY OUTSIDE 0.04 2. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE 0.10 3. SCU: PHOTOGRAPHER 0.13 4. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) HASSAN WIRAJUDHA, INDONESIA FOREIGN MINISTER SAYING: "Following the Bali bombing our police has strong evidence of the involvement of Hambali in terrorist activities in Indonesia. That's why we have a strong interest that we have early access to information or documents in order to strengthen our cases. To strengthen our effort to bring Hambali to justice. With regard to Hambali's nationality, of course Hambali was born in Indonesia, he used to carry Indonesia passport, but whether or not Hambali still remains an Indonesian national it is of course questionable. He lives in Malaysia for years. He carried, when he was arrested, a Spanish passport. Whether sure or fake but most likely fake Spanish passport. But we have a strong case that even under Anti-Terrorism Act 2002, that we have jurisdiction over Hambali." 2.18 5. VARIOUS OF SECURITY OUTSIDE HOTEL; SECURITY CHECKING VEHICLES (6 SHOTS) 2.50 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVA3K7QR9X5S785B688UT5YCU5RQ
  • Story Text: Indonesia has sought access to U.S.-held Hambali
    in connection with the 2002 Bali bombing.


    Indonesia's foreign minster Hassan Wirajudha
    told a news conference in the capital Jakarta on Monday
    (August 18) that Hambali, the suspected mastermind of the
    2002 Bali nightclub bombings, should be put on trial in
    Indonesia following his capture in a joint U.S.-Thai
    operation.

    Southeast Asia's most wanted fugitive and al Qaeda's
    point man in the region, was run to ground in Thailand this
    week and quickly handed over to U.S. authorities before
    being flown out of the country to an undisclosed location.

    Indonesian police were trying to get access to Hambali,
    alleged chief of the shadowy Southeast Asian Jemaah
    Islamiah militant network blamed for the Bali bombings,
    which killed 202 people, mainly young western tourists.

    It has also been linked to other acts of violence,
    including the August 5 bombing of the JW Marriott Hotel in
    Jakarta, that killed 12 and wounded 150.

    "Following the Bali bombing our police has strong
    evidence of the involvement of Hambali in terrorist
    activities in Indonesia. That's why we have a strong
    interest that we have early access to information or
    documents in order to strengthen our cases. To strengthen
    our effort to bring Hambali to justice. With regard to
    Hambali's nationality, of course Hambali was born in
    Indonesia, he used to carry Indonesia passport, but whether
    or not Hambali still remains an Indonesian national it is
    of course questionable. He lives in Malaysia for years. He
    carried, when he was arrested, a Spanish passport. Whether
    sure or fake but most likely fake Spanish passport. But we
    have a strong case that even under Anti-Terrorism Act 2002,
    that we have jurisdiction over Hambali," said Wirajudha.

    Confusion surrounds the whereabouts of the latest
    senior al Qaeda-linked radical to be hunted down in the war
    on terror that Washington launched after the September 11,
    2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

    There has been speculation he is being held in
    locations ranging from U.S. bases in Afghanistan to Cuba.

    U.S. officials have said Hambali, thought to the only
    man from Southeast Asia to sit on al Qaeda's military
    committee, was being interrogated but would not say where.

    Indonesia does not expect Washington to object to
    allowing Indonesian authorities access to Hambali, but
    noted the two countries did not have any extradition
    treaty.

    Wirajudha said that some information had been shared
    and expected that Indonesia would be able to question
    Hambali directly but said that it may take some time to
    arrange. He said the ultimate objective of Indonesia was
    'to get Hambali'meaning that the U.S. would eventually
    handover Hambali.

    Security remained tight in Jakarta on Monday, a public
    holiday, following weekend independence day celebrations
    overshadowed by fears of militant attacks.

    The celebrations passed off without incident but
    Australia and New Zealand had warned of possible attacks on
    Jakarta shopping malls and hotels over the weekend.

    Several countries, including the United States, told
    their citizens to avoid public places.

    Indonesian security forces went on their highest state
    of alert on Sunday (August 17), when the world's most
    populous Muslim nation celebrated 58 years of independence
    from Dutch colonial rule.

    The visible security presence in the capital had
    less ened on Monday, but armed soldiers and police
    machine-guns continued to guard the entrances to malls,
    hotels and government buildings.

    There are fears that any planned militant attacks may
    be brought forward after Hambali's capture.

    Indonesian police on Sunday also announced the arrest
    of 10 people in connection with the Marriott blast. They
    gave no details but said they expected more arrests in
    coming days.



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