PDRI Questions BNPT's Allegation of Involvement in Jamaah Islamiyah Network

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian People's Da'wah Party (PDRI) questioned allegations voiced by the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) that the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) network had penetrated their party.

Masri Sitanggang as the party’s deputy chair said he had sent a letter to the BNPT and the national police's counterterrorism squad or Densus 88, asking for explanations about the allegation. “We submitted the letter last week,” said Masri on Thursday, December 2.

Densus 88 arrested the party’s chair Farid Ahmad Okbah in Bekasi on November 16 over alleged involvement in a terror group as he was a member of the JI's council board that had been banned since 2008.

Masri said Densus 88 and the police’s General Supervision Inspectorate had scheduled a meeting with PDRI in two weeks. The party, he added, would later ask for the BNPT or Densus’ input to clear the party’s good name.

Masri also said he had sent a letter to Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud Md to consult about their party’s participation in preventing terrorists.

“We will follow the direction of the authorities so that the rights to establish political parties are in accordance with regulations,” he said.

BNPT said Densus 88 is investigating the alleged presence of the Jamaah Islamiyah members in PDRI led by Farid Ahmad Okbah. BNPT Prevention Director Ahmad Nurwakhid said Farid was suspected of placing a number of his accomplices in the party.

Read: Densus 88 Nabs 2 Terrorists Linked to Jamaah Islamiyah

IMAM HAMDI