Canberra Asks Jakarta to Ban Terror Group
Posted on: Wednesday, 5 October 2005, 06:00 CDT
Australia's foreign minister will travel to Indonesia to press Jakarta to ban Jemaah Islamiyah, suspected in the Bali attacks, Canberra said Wednesday.
Prime Minister John Howard said in a radio interview that Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would send a reassuring signal to moderate Indonesians by taking a strong stand against the militant group.
He said Foreign Minister Alexander Downer would go to Indonesia soon.
Howard said Australia could not force Indonesia to outlaw the group, but it would encourage Indonesian security forces to crack down on its alleged terrorist activities.
Jemaah Islamiyah was blamed in the first Bali attack, which included 88 Australians among the 202 dead, and is suspected of carrying out Saturday's attack that killed at least 19.
The group has never been formally banned, although its alleged leader, Abu Bakar Bashir, was jailed for 30 months for conspiracy in the 2002 bombing.
Bashir reportedly has access to a telephone at the jail, through which he is suspected of giving directions to terrorists, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
Bashir denied involvement in the recent attack, saying he condemned attacks on members of the Islamic faith. He also said the attacks were a sign of God's displeasure.
Source: United Press International
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