Indonesian Police Questions Baasyir on Links With Terror Groups

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 24, 2002

Indonesian Police Questions Baasyir on Links With Terror Groups

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Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Baasyir Thursday denied any links with any Islamic militant networks, including bin Laden's al-Qaeda, but he praised bin Ladenas a "true Islamic warrior" for taking on the West.

Baasyir was questioned by the police here for alleged links to regional terrorism.

"I am not a member of al-Qaeda, however, I highly praise the fight of Osama bin Laden who has dared to represent the Islamic world to fight the United States and its allies," Baasyir said in a statement issued to reporters following the questioning.

The 64-year-old Baasyir is chief of the Indonesian Mujahiddin Council. Singapore and Malaysia have said that Baasyir has links with al-Qaeda.

Malaysian police last month detained 12 militants for allegedlytrying to establish an Islamic government in Malaysia and having ties to a suspect of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

It was reported that some of the 12 militants were Baasyir's former students. He spent many years teaching in Malaysia and was once jailed in Jakarta for setting up a paramilitary force to fight for an Islamic nation.

The questioning of Baasyir is Indonesia's most concrete public step yet to show it is taking anti-terrorism steps.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs SusiloBambang Yudhoyono Wednesday said that the government has been working effectively to fight terrorism and no other country could dictate it on how to conduct its campaign against terrorism.

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