REQUEST IMMEDIATE VETTING FOR JAKARTA 142 AND 241

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000400 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DRL, DRL/AWH NSC FOR E. PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2019 TAGS: PREL PHUM MARR MASS SNAR ID SUBJECT: REQUEST IMMEDIATE VETTING FOR JAKARTA 142 AND 241 REF: A. JAKARTA 241 ¶B. JAKARTA 142 Classified By: DCM John A. Heffern, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (U) This is an action cable. See paragraph 5. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY. Mission requests immediate clearance for candidates from Indonesian's Military Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) to begin training on March 11 and 14. BAIS's role is limited to military intelligence; it has never had a command relationship with combat troops nor a combat role. There is no credible evidence implicating BAIS in gross human rights violations. END SUMMARY. ¶3. Mission requests immediate vetting clearance for the following BAIS individuals to participate in March training: Colonel Jamaludin, training to start on March 11 (REF B); and Commodore Eddy Tjahjo Sisono, training date to start on March 14 (Ref A). ¶4. (C) After researching allegations of historical BAIS links with KOPASSUS and human rights violations, Mission has concluded that BAIS has never had a command relationship with KOPASSUS and has never had a combat role. BAIS's function is, and always has been, intelligence gathering. ¶5. (C) There is no credible evidence implicating BAIS of gross human rights violations. The January 11 paper by John Hasseman, "Domestic Determinants of Security Policy" is not credible scholarship on the topic. The allegations the document makes linking BAIS with KOPASSUS are unsubstantiated and speculative. ¶6. (C) Action Requested: Given our findings and that we need to inform the candidates that they are cleared for training by March 9 if we are to proceed, we request immediate action to clear them. HUME