By : Agus *)
Abu Dujana, the self-described military commander of the Islamic extremist group behind the Bali bombings, is among the convicted terrorists to be released from Indonesian prisons this year.
Australia Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop told a high level counter-terrorism meeting hosted by the US Secretary of State John Kerry that Australia and Indonesia would work together to rehabilitate hundreds of convicted terrorists expected to be released from Indonesian prisons in the coming years.
Adhe Bhakti, a researcher at the Jakarta-based Centre for Radicalism and Deradicalisation, said the “big names” to be released on parole this year were Abu Dujana, Abu Husna and Hasanuddin.
Abu Dujana, a self-proclaimed Jemaah Islamiah leader and one of Indonesia’s most wanted men until his arrest in 2007, will go on parole this month. He was sentenced to 15 years in jail for his role in the Poso murders.
Abu Husna, a senior militant who was sentenced to eight years jail for helping Abu Dujana evade police, was released last month.
“We are aware that in the coming years a significant number of prisoners in Indonesian prisons who have been convicted of terrorist related activities will be released, it runs to the hundreds, and of course if they have not been rehabilitated then they pose a serious risk, not only to our country but to our region,” Ms Bishop said after the meeting.
Luhut Pandjaitan, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, said the joint project had been discussed during Justice Minister Michael Keenan’s visit to Jakarta earlier this year.
“This is Australia’s commitment,” Mr Luhut said. “We haven’t talked in details about the form of cooperation or when it will start. If possible, we want to have it soon. Part of the assistance is also in the form of funding.”
There are about 300 convicted terrorists currently serving sentences in Indonesia’s 26 prisons. Over the past couple of years about 90 have been released a year.
