Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JAKARTA3263
2007-11-28 06:09:00
SECRET
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:  

TERRORIST TRIALS -- NEW FUNDING NEEDED FOR COURT

Tags:  PTER PGOV KJUS ASEC ID 
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VZCZCXRO7501
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #3263/01 3320609
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 280609Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7194
INFO RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1652
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1194
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 2078
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 003263 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, S/CT, INL FOR BOULDIN
DOJ FOR CRIM AAG SWARTZ, DOJ/OPDAT FOR
LEHMANN/ALEXANDRE/BERMAN
DOJ/CTS FOR MULLANEY, ST HILAIRE
FBI FOR ETTUI/SSA ROTH
NCTC WASHDC
NSC FOR EPHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2017
TAGS: PTER PGOV KJUS ASEC ID
SUBJECT: TERRORIST TRIALS -- NEW FUNDING NEEDED FOR COURT
MONITOR

REF: A. JAKARTA 2852


B. JAKARTA 2346

C. JAKARTA 2101

D. JAKARTA 827

E. JAKARTA 826

F. 06 JAKARTA 11889

Classified By: Dep Pol/C Stan Harsha, reasons 1.4(b,d).

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 003263

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, S/CT, INL FOR BOULDIN
DOJ FOR CRIM AAG SWARTZ, DOJ/OPDAT FOR
LEHMANN/ALEXANDRE/BERMAN
DOJ/CTS FOR MULLANEY, ST HILAIRE
FBI FOR ETTUI/SSA ROTH
NCTC WASHDC
NSC FOR EPHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2017
TAGS: PTER PGOV KJUS ASEC ID
SUBJECT: TERRORIST TRIALS -- NEW FUNDING NEEDED FOR COURT
MONITOR

REF: A. JAKARTA 2852


B. JAKARTA 2346

C. JAKARTA 2101

D. JAKARTA 827

E. JAKARTA 826

F. 06 JAKARTA 11889

Classified By: Dep Pol/C Stan Harsha, reasons 1.4(b,d).


1. (S) SUMMARY: Over the past two years, a locally
contracted Court Monitor has provided valuable information on
the trials of Indonesia's most dangerous terrorists. With
current funding nearly exhausted, Mission seeks new
Department funding to continue this productive relationship.
Supported by an FY05 grant, the Court Monitor has observed
and confidentially reported to us on the trials of more than
75 terrorists, most of whom are linked to the Jemaah
Islamiyah terror network, and provided us with copies of
official court documents not normally obtainable. The
Monitor has also developed relationships with defense lawyers
from the Muslim Defense Team (TPM),yielding an additional
source of information. The Monitor is a valuable asset in
Mission's counter-terrorism efforts in Indonesia, and it is
important that it be sustained. END SUMMARY.

CRUCIAL IN TRACKING CASES


2. (S) Since 2005, the Court Monitor (CM) has observed and
reported on more than 450 individual trial sessions related
to over 75 terrorists. The cases have spanned all the major
terrorist attacks in Indonesia over the past 5 years,
including the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings, the 2003 Marriott
bombing, the 2004 Australian Embassy bombing and a variety of
bombings and assassinations in Poso, Central Sulawesi. The
CM provides post with expert commentary on the nature of the
charges, the quality of the prosecutions, and the strategies
of the defense teams. She also provides copies of court
documents, including indictments, defense objections,
sentencing requests and decisions. This detailed information
has been seminal to post's ability to report authoritatively
on these trials (reftels). This relationship is so sensitive
that it is not publicly acknowledged and her identity is
strictly protected.


3. (S) The CM has proven particularly good at tracking
high-profile cases through the appeals process. Appeals can
drag on for months or even years and decisions are often not
announced publicly. The CM has kept us informed of major
developments in the appeals of Jemaah Islamiyah co-founder
Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the three Bali bombers on death row and
numerous other critical cases. She also maintains
relationships with defense attorneys on the Muslim defense
team (TPM),which represents many of the terrorist
defendants. This enables her to receive inside information
on defense strategies as well as court documents on cases
prosecuted outside of Jakarta, which otherwise are
particularly difficult to track.


4. (S) An English-speaking Indonesian with a legal
background, the CM integrates the cases she observes into her
own legal research, enabling her to explain her frequent
presence during trials without reference to her relationship
with post. Her ability to do this is extremely important,
given the sensitive nature of terrorism cases. Were an
Embassy employee to attend court sessions, it could lend
credibility to defense attorneys' frequent allegations of
foreign involvement in court proceedings.

NEW FUNDING NEEDED


5. (S) The CM's activities to date have been funded through
part of an FY05 grant from S/CT, which is now nearly
depleted. In December, two major JI figures will come to
trial in Jakarta: Abu Dujana, leader of JI's military wing

JAKARTA 00003263 002 OF 002


(ref C),and Zarkasih, JI's acting leader. Post is seeking
additional funding in order to continue using the CM to cover
these and other important trials. A further $20,000 would
sustain this relationship for another two years. This is a
modest investment for the substantial return it will yield.
Mission requests Department's support.

HUME