ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT: INDONESIA

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 007841 DEPARTMENT: S/CT FOR REAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/16 TAGS: PTER ID SUBJECT: ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT: INDONESIA REF: STATE 223177 ¶1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY POL COUNSELOR ED MCWILLIAMS; REASON 1.5(D) ¶2. (U) THE FOLLOWING FORMAT IS DERIVED FROM REFTEL AND RESPONDS TO PARAGRAPHING SET OUT IN PARA 3 REFTEL. A: HOST GOVERNMENT PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM: THE GOI FACED A SERIOUS HOSTAGE TAKING IN IRIAN JAYA DURING 1996 WHICH INVOLVED THE KIDNAPPING OF THIRD COUNTRY AND INDONESIAN NATIONALS (NGO PERSONNEL, NONE DIPLOMATIC). NO U.S. CITIZENS WERE INVOLVED. THE GOI WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE ICRC AND OTHERS TO SECURE THE HOSTAGES' RELEASE THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS. WHEN THIS NEGOTIATED OUTCOME FAILED, GOI MILITARY WERE BROUGHT IN TO RESCUE THE HOSTAGES. ALL BUT TWO VICTIMS WERE RESCUED: TWO OF THE INDONESIAN HOSTAGES WERE KILLED BY THEIR ABDUCTORS. THE GOI HAS PURSUED THE KIDNAPPERS BUT HAS NOT CAPTURED ANY FOR PROSECUTION. (SEE EXTENSIVE REPORTING ON THIS SUBJECT). THE GOI FACED A SIMILAR MASS KIDNAPPING CASE AGAIN IN IRIAN JAYA IN AUGUST WHICH INVOLVED ONLY INDONESIAN CITIZENS. THE GOI TREATED THE MATTER AS A MILITARY PROBLEM AND PURSUED THE CAPTORS, COMPELLING THEM EVENTUALLY TO RELEASE ALL BUT TWO OF THE VICTIMS (THESE TWO REPORTEDLY HAVING BEEN TORTURED AND KILLED BY THEIR ABDUCTORS). GOI MILITARY FORCES HAVE PURSUED THE KIDNAPPERS BUT HAVE NOT CAPTURED ANY FOR PROSECUTION. SEE POST REPORTING ON THIS SUBJECT. ¶B. GOI RESPONSE TO USG REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE IN TERRORIST CASES: THE GOI RESPONDED QUICKLY AND WITH FULL SUPPORT OVER A WEEKEND TO ASSIST IN GATHERING AND REVIEWING EVIDENCE IN ITS POSSESSION IN THE SHIROSAKI CASE. THE RAPID GOI RESPONSE PROVIDED A BASIS FOR U.S. ACTION TO BRING THE SUSPECT TO THE U.S. THE GOI IS CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE USG ON THIS CASE. ¶C. IMPEDIMENTS TO HOST GOVERNMENT PROSECUTION AND/OR EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS: THERE IS NO EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN THE U.S. AND INDONESIA; HOWEVER, INDONESIA HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE TO U.S. REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE. ¶D. RESPONSE OTHER THAN PROSECUTION: SEE RESPONSE, PARA B. ¶E. MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN IN 1996: THE GOI HAS MAINTAINED ACTIVE MILITARY PURSUIT OF REBELS IN IRIAN JAYA WHO HAVE EMPLOYED TERRORIST TACTICS AGAINST INNOCENT CIVILIANS. ¶F. HOST GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM: THE GOI MAINTAINS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ALL STATES WHICH APPEAR ON THE "TERRORISM LIST." ALL OF THESE STATES MAINTAIN EMBASSIES IN INDONESIA. ¶G. HOST GOVERNMENT STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A TERRORIST- SUPPORTING COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM ISSUE: NONE ¶H. SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN GOI ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM: NONE ¶I. U.S. REQUESTS FOR COOPERATION: THE U.S. SOUGHT THE COOPERATION OF THE GOI ON THE SHIROSAKI CASE, SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE IN DETERMINING OVER A WEEKEND WHAT EVIDENCE WAS HELD BY THE GOI IN THE NINE YEAR OLD INCIDENT AND WHETHER THE GOI WOULD BE PREPARED TO ALLOW THE UNITED STATES USE OF THE EVIDENCE IT HAD IN A U.S. COURT. THE GOI RESPONSE WAS ENTIRELY POSITIVE. ¶J. GOI COOPERATION OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS WITH U.S. REQUESTS: EMBASSY FILES ONLY EXTEND BACK TO 1995. GOI AUTHORITIES HAVE CONSISTENTLY PLAYED AN EFFECTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE ROLE IN PREVENTING ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS. ¶K. GOI COOPERATION IN RESPONSE TO U.S. REQUESTS: SEE PARA B. ROY