JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia is looking into ways to repatriate an al Qaeda-linked Guantanamo Bay detainee accused of involvement in some of the country’s deadliest attacks, including the 2002 bombings on the resort island of Bali, according to the state news agency.
Described by former President George W. Bush as “one of the world’s most lethal terrorists,” Riduan Isamuddin, better known as Hambali, is accused of helping to plan the Bali nightclub attack that killed more than 200 people, mostly foreigners, and of financing the Jakarta Marriott Hotel bombing in 2003.
The former leader of the Southeast Asian militant network Jemaah Islamiyah was arrested in 2003 in a U.S.-led operation in Thailand and before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2006.
State news agency Antara at the weekend quoted the senior minister for law and human rights, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, as saying the statute of limitations on Indonesia’s cases against Hambali had expired.
“No matter what, Hambali is an Indonesian citizen. No matter how wrong he is… we must care for him,” Yusril said, according to Antara. Yusril did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Hambali was also suspected by Washington of involvement in plotting the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States. Indonesia in the past sought access to question Hambali but was denied contact with him.
It has not been formally disclosed whether Hambali has admitted to or denied involvement in the Sept. 11, Bali and Jakarta attacks.
At its peak, JI was one of Asia’s most feared extremist networks, with cells in Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, but its influence and support waned after a sustained crackdown by authorities and de-radicalisation programmes.
Senior JI members said in June the network was being disbanded and Indonesia is considering parole for two of its former leaders and amnesty for its jailed members.
Indonesia would discuss the plan to repatriate Hambali with the U.S. government, Antara quoted Yusril as saying. The U.S. embassy in Jakarta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Washington last year repatriated two Malaysian detainees from Guantanamo Bay who had pled guilty to offences that included murder in violation of laws on war.
(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by Martin Petty)
