CT WORKSHOP REACHES AUDIENCE FROM EASTERN INDONESIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 012159 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, INL AND S/CT DOJ FOR CTS THORNTON, AAG SWARTZ, OPDAT ALEXANDRE/LEHMANN/CRAWFORD FBI FOR ETTIU/SSA ROTH E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2016 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KJUS KISL ASEC ID SUBJECT: CT WORKSHOP REACHES AUDIENCE FROM EASTERN INDONESIA REF: A. JAKARTA 6200 ¶B. 05 JAKARTA 16574 ¶C. 05 SECSTATE 90068 Classified By: Political Officer Adam West for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) The latest in a series of USG-funded CT workshops aimed at improving the performance of Indonesian law enforcement officials in terrorism cases took place in Makassar, South Sulawesi on September 19-20. The event was organized by the CT Desk at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, with our assistance in developing the agenda and CT Engagement funds (NADR) from S/CT covering the bulk of the costs. A total of 29 police, prosecutors, and judges came together for the two-day event, all from Indonesia's eastern provinces where opportunities for advanced training and networking are extremely limited. Presenters included a variety of experts in counterterrorism, as well as a presentation by our Resident Legal Advisor (RLA). Feedback on the event was largely positive. Post plans to organize more such events as funding allows. End Summary Latest CT Event Targets Eastern Indonesian Law Enforcement -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) A two-day workshop sponsored by the CT Desk at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs was held in Makassar, South Sulawesi on September 19-20. The workshop represents the latest in a series of events designed to provide advanced training in the handling of terrorism cases to Indonesian law enforcement officials, prosecutors and judges (ref A and B). We collaborated with the CT Desk in planning the event, which was specifically geared towards GOI officials working in selected provinces in eastern Indonesia. Invitees came from the provinces of South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, Ambon and Bali, areas which have all experienced significant terrorist activity and/or sectarian violence over the past five years and where opportunities for networking and advanced training are extremely limited. We provided funding by using CT Engagement funds (NADR) from S/CT. Presenters Emphasize Cooperation, New Methods -------------- - ¶3. (SBU) Presenters at the workshop included several individuals who participated in previous USG-sponsored training, including CT Desk Chief Ansyaad Mbai, experienced CT prosecutor Narendra Jatna, and South Jakarta District Court Judge Roki Panjaitan. Mbai opened the workshop with a general assessment of the state of CT efforts in Indonesia. While noting significant successes, Mbai identified several areas for improvement, including a greater focus on networks rather than individuals, greater specialization among law enforcement personnel, and the need for more liberal rules of evidence in terrorism trials. Jatna, a member of the newly-formed Attorney General's Task Force on Terrorism and Transnational Crime, addressed a number of commonly held misconceptions about terrorism as a crime, including a widely-held belief that the 2002 terror law had been a response to the September 11 attacks in the U.S. rather than Indonesia's own long history of bombings. Building on this point, South Jakarta District Court Judge Roki Panjaitan reviewed the history of terrorism in Indonesia and Indonesia's participation in international conventions against terrorism. Both Jatna and Panjaitan emphasized the need for a robust and internationally coordinated response to terrorism. ¶4. (SBU) Representing the police was Indonesian National Police CT Detachment 88 Investigator Gagas Nugraha. Nugraha's presentation focused on the increasing use of cyberspace by Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and other terrorist organizations as a tool for recruitment, training, and communication. He showed images from terrorist-run websites giving detailed instructions on, for example, how to carry JAKARTA 00012159 002 OF 002 out an attack on a vehicle. He also described how the cyber crime unit was able to track and arrest several suspected terrorists by following their activities in cyberspace. Former JI leader Nasir Abbas also addressed the group, offering a detailed description of the structure and methods of the organization as it existed when he left in 2003. Lessons from U.S. Experience -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Mission DOJ/OPDAT RLA spoke to the participants about improving cooperation between police and prosecutors. (Note: The absence of effective cooperation has been cited as a fundamental stumbling block in Indonesian law enforcement efforts.) The RLA's presentation provoked a lively discussion among the participants, many of whom were unaware of the extent to which cooperation between investigators and prosecutors during the investigative stage is routine in the U.S. The RLA was also closely questioned on U.S. evidentiary rules, which are far more flexible than those in Indonesia. Positive Feedback -------------- ¶6. (C) The participants' impressions of the workshop were quite positive overall. Several commented that they had not had an opportunity to sit down with members of the other branches of law enforcement previously, and that this was extremely useful. Ali Arjoeno of the CT Desk, who helped design the program, commented that it was critical that law enforcement officials understand that terrorism in Indonesia was a home-grown problem and not the result of foreign intervention, which Arjoeno said was a widely held belief "even in the government". Jatna commented that the RLA's presentation had altered the participants' perception of the U.S. criminal justice system and opened up new avenues for potential cooperation. ¶7. (C) We view workshops such as these as an important element in our efforts to improve the ability of Indonesian law enforcement to capture and successfully prosecute terrorists. The workshops provide needed training for GOI officials involved in investigating and prosecuting terrorism cases, and expose them to concepts that would improve the overall CT law enforcement effort in Indonesia. Contacts at the New Zealand and Canadian Embassies recently expressed their interest in helping to fund similar events in the future. We plan to continue this effort as funding permits. HEFFERN