Military Demands Greater Role in Counterterrorism
Jakarta. The military has demanded a greater role in counterterror operations, a move human rights defenders have warned could prove perilous for Indonesia's hard-won democracy.
A new, government-proposed antiterrorism bill, currently being deliberated at the House of Representatives, allows the Indonesian Military (TNI) to assist the National Police in counterterror operations.
"The government should take full advantage of the TNI," the head of the TNI's Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS), Maj. Gen. Yayat Sudrajat, told a House special committee which has been deliberating the revisions to the 2003 antiterrorism law on Thursday (16/06).
"The capability of TNI's intelligence officers to detect terror threats early should be made use of. They can handle investigations into groups or individuals suspected of preparing a terror attack."
But the proposed increased role for the military has drawn objections from rights activists, who have said it could shift the country's approach on combating terrorism from a criminal justice one into a "war model."
Countries entering the initial phase of democracy should avoid involving elements outside law enforcement in counterterrorism, activists have warned.
The government is seeking more power for authorities to move aggressively against alleged terrorists under the bill.
The bill allows tougher action on suspected terrorists by prescribing a broader definition of terrorism, longer detention without trial for terror suspects and revocation of citizenship for convicted terrorists.
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