GOI MAKES MORE ARRESTS IN INVESTIGATION OF JULY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001412 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, S/CT, DS NSC FOR J BADER E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/26/2019 TAGS: PGOV PTER ASEC ID SUBJECT: GOI MAKES MORE ARRESTS IN INVESTIGATION OF JULY BOMBINGS REF: A. OPS CENTER - JAKARTA/JNOVAK 08-26-09 TELCON ¶B. JAKARTA 1318 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The GOI's arrest of Indonesian national Mohammad Jibril under suspicion of helping fund the July 17 Jakarta bombings follows the earlier arrest of a Saudi national alleged to have been a financier behind the operation. Jibril is the son of a well-known Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) figure and has served as a JI propagandist in his own right. His arrest appears to be a step forward in the unraveling of the network behind the July blasts, but it comes against the backdrop of increasing DOMESTIC political sensitivity toward police monitoring of Muslim organizations. Mission continues to urge the GOI to keep its eye on the ball and work to improve inter-agency coordination. END SUMMARY. ANOTHER ARREST ¶2. (SBU) The GOI has taken more steps in its investigation of the July 17 bombings in Jakarta. Indonesian police arrested Mohammad Jibril (aka Muhammad Ricky Ardhan),age 29, on August 25, less than one day after naming him as a suspect in supporting international financing of the Ritz-Carlton and J.W. Marriott Hotel bombings in Jakarta. In a public statement, Indonesian National Police (INP) spokesman Nanan Soekarna said that members of the police counterterrorism unit Detachment 88 arrested Jibril in Tangerang, Banten, just outside Jakarta. Det 88 contacts have confirmed to us that the media accounts of the arrest are accurate. ¶3. (SBU) Prior to his arrest, Jibril was known as a Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) propagandist. He has been involved in a variety of jihadi media activities, including Ar-Rahman Media, its arrahman.com website, and the magazine "Jihadmagz." He is the son of Abu Jibril (aka Muhammad Iqbal),a well-known cleric and the chairman of the Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI). The MMI is linked to JI and was formerly led by militant cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, the co-founder of JI. The senior Jibril was arrested in Malaysia in 2001 and held without charges until 2004 when he was released to Indonesia. At that time, Indonesian authorities did not pursue charges against him. ALLEGED SAUDI FINANCIER ALSO UNDER ARREST ¶4. (C) In announcing Jibril as a suspect on August 25, the INP identified him as an associate of Saudi national Ali Muhammad Abdullah (aka Alkhelaiwi Muhammad Abdullah),who was arrested on August 17 and Indonesian national Iwan Herdiansyah, arrested two days earlier. Police have alleged that Abdullah and Herdiansyah facilitated the visits of other Middle Eastern persons who entered Indonesia with cash to fund the July bombings. ¶5. (SBU) According to media reports, Abdullah and Herdiansyah allegedly met with Syaifudin Zuhri bin Djalani Irshad, who is believed to have recruited the suicide bombers. Following the Abdullah arrest, INP sources have continued to emphasize links to Middle Eastern sources of funds for the July bombings. Police statements to date have not explicitly tied the Abdullah or Jibril arrests to the August 7-8 sieges of militant safe houses in Central Java and the Jakarta outskirts (reftel),but they are clearly suspected of being part of the same network. ¶6. (U) In the meantime, terrorist leader Noordin M. Top--who is believed to have masterminded the July 17 attacks--remains a fugitive from justice. BACKING OFF FROM MONITORING SERMONS ¶7. (SBU) The arrest of Jibril, the son of a prominent cleric, comes against the background of increasing DOMESTIC political sensitivity toward INP monitoring of Islamic organizations. An incident this week illustrates the environment within which the police are operating on this issue. Following a public backlash against media reports that the police would be monitoring Ramadhan sermons, INP Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri publicly denied any plans of the sort existed. Bambang stated that while such JAKARTA 00001412 002 OF 002 monitoring is within the jurisdiction of the Religious Affairs Ministry, it is beyond the authority of the police. ¶8. (C) That said, there continues to be strong public support for the effort to arrest those connected to the July 17 attacks. Police are receiving tips from the public which have helped lead to operations and arrests. Mission continues to urge the GOI to keep its eye on the ball and work to improve inter-agency coordination. HUME