|
Official: al-Qaida Linked to Indonesians
Four students in custody in Indonesia were recruited by a key terrorism suspect to become future leaders of a Southeast Asian terror group that is linked to al-Qaida and blamed for a series of deadly attacks in the region, a government official said. The students traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan for training and served as liaisons between al-Qaida and Southeast Asiaâs Jemaah Islamiyah militant group, said Ansyaad Mbai, who heads the counterterrorism desk at the Ministry for Political and Security Affairs. Theyâve been paying attention. Hambali - the alleged Jemaah Islamiyah leader who is now in U.S. custody - financed their trip from Indonesia to Pakistan, Mbai told The Associated Press on Thursday. "Interviews with Malaysian and Thai authorities as well as other Islamic students in custody in Malaysia revealed that they were being trained to become leaders," he said. JI: The Next Generation The four students were among 19 foreign students arrested by Pakistani security officials during raids on Islamic schools in Karachi in September. Pakistan deported the men and they were arrested upon arrival in Jakarta. Indonesian authorities have charged them with having "links to terrorist acts." Their attorney denies the men have any involvement with terrorism, though he said that two of them admitted helping Hambali raise money for Muslim militants fighting Christians in the Maluku islands in 2001. "Thatâs not terrorism, itâs just a cultural thing" The other two admitted forging documents. Doesnât everyone in a Pak Islamic school? "These four are innocent of terrorism," their attorney, Mahendradatta, said Thursday. "The government should release them." How about no? Mbai said Indonesian authorities will need access to Hambali to make a case against the men. "Their link is with Hambali," Mbai said. "But until now, weâve got no access to Hambali. Without access, it will be impossible to link these cases." The United States government is said to be considering an Indonesian request to question Hambali. Just hold them, weâll get back to you on that. Posted by: Steve 2004-01-30 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=25273 |