Indonesian terror suspect gets 17 years

An Indonesian businessman linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist network and allegedly involved in the Rizal Day 2000 bombings was sentenced yesterday to 10 to 17 years in prison for illegal possession of explosives.

Agus Dwikarna, 35, was also ordered by Judge Henrick Gingoyon of the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 117 to pay a P50,000 fine.

That makes Dwikarna the second suspected foreign terrorist to be convicted in the Philippines since President Arroyo announced her support last year for the US-led global war on terrorism.

"This is a victory of the Philippine criminal justice system against international terrorism," said Mrs. Arroyo, visibly pleased during a surprise visit to the intelligence headquarters of the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Jakarta, however, found the penalty too heavy and will question Manila about it, the Indonesian foreign ministry said.

"The government, through its embassy in the Philippines, will find out whether the trial has met the standards as far as the decision on Agus Dwikarna is concerned," foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa was quoted by the official Antara news agency as saying.

Also yesterday, police filed before the Department of Justice charges of illegal possession of explosives against another Indonesian and a Malaysian suspected of terrorism.

Justice Undersecretary Manuel Teehankee said Riduan "Hambali" Isamuddin, an Indonesian, and Faiz Bin Abu Bakar Bafana, a Singaporean-Malaysian, were members of Jemaah Islamiya, an Indonesian terrorist group belonging to the al-Qaeda network of fugitive Saudi mastermind Osama bin Laden.

They were implicated by Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, an Indonesian who was sentenced in mid-April to 12 years in prison for illegal possession of over a ton of explosives stashed in a backyard in General Santos City.

Al-Ghozi received another 12-year prison sentence the same month for falsifying two Philippine passports, which, police said, was part of a terrorist scheme. He pleaded guilty to both charges.

"Hambali and Bafana were charged because of their roles in financing the explosives used in the (General Santos City) bombing," Teehankee told reporters. "Hopefully, if charges are filed in court, warrants for their arrest can be issued soon."

Fifteen people were killed on April 21 in a series of bomb explosions in General Santos City.

Officials said al-Ghozi admitted "procuring" explosives along with "Muslim Filipino cohorts" but said he was acting "upon the orders and instructions of the foreign nationals," namely, Isamuddin and Bafana who, however, are at large.

"But we believe one of them is in Singapore," Teehankee said, hoping that police in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore would be able to track down the two and extradite them to Manila once arrest warrants are out.

On the other hand, Dwikarna was one of three suspected Indonesian terrorists held last March 13 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for allegedly carrying bomb-making materials in their luggage.

Charges against Dwikarna’s co-accused, Abdul Jamal Balfas and Hamsid Lin Rung, were dropped.

The three denied they were terrorists and claimed their arrest by Philippine authorities was politically motivated and was requested by Jakarta.

Balfas and Lin Rung were released last April upon orders from Mrs. Arroyo after her Indonesian counterpart, Megawati Sukarnoputri, intervened on their behalf.

Dwikarna remained in detention at Camp Crame pending further investigation of his alleged links to foreign terrorists.

Dwikarna’s lawyer, Rogelio Linzag, said Gingoyon’s verdict "was affected by the press releases from the Bureau of Immigration."

"The decision appears to be trying hard to convict (Dwikarna), despite the lack of motive," Linzag said, adding that the evidence against his client was "clearly inserted" in his luggage by airport security men.

Plastic explosives and detonating cord were allegedly found upon inspection of their luggage.

"My client was set up. He has no background in explosives and no relation to the groups suspected of terrorist attacks," Linzag said.

In his testimony, Dwikarna claimed he, Balfas and Lin Rung were arrested because they belonged to the political opposition in Indonesia.

Dwikarna said he was deputy secretary and treasurer of Partai Amanat Nasional, a party of an Indonesian presidential hopeful.

However, Gingoyon ruled that Dwikarna’s claim "must also be proved clear and convincing evidence because it is of the same category as alibi."

"Unfortunately for the accused, he did not bother to make the slightest attempt to show why should the Philippine government do to a foreigner something it does not do to its citizens," Gingoyon’s decision stated.

Recently, Justice Undersecretary Jose Calida told reporters that they received a "reliable report" from "international contacts" that Dwikarna was allegedly involved in the 2000 Rizal Day bombings and the bombing of the Jakarta residence of the Philippine ambassador to Indonesia in August that year.

At least two people were killed, including Ambassador Leonides Caday’s driver, when a car bomb went off outside Caday’s Jakarta residence as his limousine was about to enter the driveway.

Caday was seriously wounded and was pulled out of his wrecked car by passersby.

On Dec. 30, 2000, several bombs went off across Metro Manila, from late morning to early afternoon, killing 22 people and wounding dozens.

Calida said the information was provided by one of 13 men arrested by Singaporean police in December on suspicion that they belonged to a terrorist group and were planning to bomb US warships docked in the city-state, US companies and other American targets.

Authorities said they are still investigating Dwikarna’s alleged links to Majlis Mujahidin Indonesia, a terrorist group allied with Jemaah Islamiyah.

Both groups allegedly are members of the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

"We also learned that this MMI wants to build parts of Mindanao as their training base," Calida said. "We want to nail him down on the Rizal Day bombing, because that’s arson and murder and he can’t apply for bail."

Intelligence officials alleged that Dwikarna, Balfas and Linrung met associates of al-Ghozi. Authorities said al-Ghozi, 31, was an explosives expert for Jemaah Islamiya. He is currently detained in Camp Crame.

Philippine intelligence authorities said al-Ghozi was likewise involved in the Rizal Day bombings. He admitted giving money to local terrorists to carry out the attacks. – With Christina Mendez, Jaime Laude, AFP