Indonesia: Islamic boarding school principal named terror suspect

[News_Editor]

Indonesia: Islamic boarding school principal named terror suspect

2011-07-23 03:03:37 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Indonesian National Police on Saturday officially announced the arrest of the principal of the Umar Bin Khatab (UBK) Islamic boarding school, where a bomb blast two weeks ago killed one person, and named him a terror suspect.

National Police Spokesman Brigadier General Ketut Untung Yoga Ana told Antara news agency that after an intensive investigation, security officials decided to officially detain UBK principal Abrory M. Ali, after sufficient evidence was gathered to prove his involvement in the bomb explosion in which school treasurer Firdaus was killed.

The blast occurred on Monday July 7 at around 3:30 p.m. local time in the boarding school, which is located in Sanolo, Bolo, Bima, in the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). Police arrested 11 people possibly linked to the explosion at that time.

Abrory was named a terror suspect by NTB regional police, but he was initially detained last Wednesday at his parents house in Khananga village, Bolo subdistrict. His detainment was ordered for allegedly being involved in the explosion and for stabbing a Bolo Police officer. He had been interrogated on several occasions since Saturday July 13.

In addition, local authorities have named three members of UBK's seven board members as suspects - Rahmat Ibnu Umar, 36, from Talabiu, Woha subdistrict, Bima; Rahmat Hidayat,22, from O'o village, Dompu; and Mustakim Abdullah, 17, also from O'o village - while the remaining four were charged with general offenses such as obstructing police work.

Previously, before Abrory's arrest, a fire broke out at his residence, possibly burning important evidence before police were able to search the area. Police are also considering additional charges of arson to tamper with evidence.

If convicted as a terror suspect, Abrory could be sentenced to a minimum prison term of three years and a maximum of 15 years for spreading hatred that could entice people to commit acts of terrorism.

Following the explosion, police were unable to enter the school grounds until two days after the incident, as students surrounded the school and were armed with sharp weapons such as machetes and arrows. Other security personnel said they were possibly carrying firearms.

On June 30, 16-year-old UBK student Sa'ban Umar Abdurahman stabbed a local police officer to death. He claimed to be a member of extremist group Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT), which was founded by convicted cleric Abu Bakar Bashir and claims to be trying to implement Shariah law in Indonesia.

JAT spokesman Son Hadi, meanwhile, has acknowledged that the Islamic boarding school had links with the organization.

Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali has also admitted that since 2004, when the boarding school was founded, the institution had been problematic. Furthermore, he noted that if staff or students of the school were found to have links to any radical group, the school should be shut down, as students would need renewed guidance.

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