State Counterterror Chief Opposes Plan for Oversight Unit
Jakarta. The head of the national counterterrorism agency has rejected proposals for the formation of an independent government agency to oversee counterterrorism strategies, funding and operations.
Calls to include provisions on a special oversight unit for the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) in the antiterrorism bill have been made by rights activists after a series of alleged abuse of power and torture by the agency.
The agency has been long accused by activists for not being exactly transparent on declaring where they get their funding from and how they use it, especially when it comes to foreign grants.
Revisions to the 2003 antiterrorism law are currently in deliberation by House of Representatives lawmakers, who have hinted that they will accept the proposals.
But BNPT chief Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian said the formation of such oversight body is unnecessary.
"The House already oversees us. We have always been very open to the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK)," Tito said on Thursday, as quoted by state news agency Antara.
"The BPK is the only credible and valid audit agency," Tito said.
Calls are also mounting for stricter supervision of the National Police's elite counterterror unit Densus 88, whose operations activists allege are rife with torture.
They have urged lawmakers to also include stipulations on an independent agency to oversee Densus 88's operations in the antiterrorism bill—in which ironically the government is seeking to get a green light to launch tougher action against terror suspects.
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