President Megawati Soekarnoputri signed two anti-terrorism...

President Megawati Soekarnoputri signed two anti-terrorism decrees just before midnight, implying heated debate within her Cabinet in the process. The announcement was rescheduled at least twice, with officials saying certain changes had to be made to the original drafts. One contains the anti terrorism measures that include the power to impose the death penalty for convicted terrorists and to detain terrorist suspects without trial for several months; the other would allow the measures to be applied retroactivity to cover the October 12 bombing. "This regulation may reduce some rights but all of this is intended to protect the greater rights of human beings," said Justice and Human Rights Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra. The ordinance, which is similar in content to an antiterrorism bill the government has drafted to be submitted to the House of Representatives next month, calls for the death penalty for militants who plot or launch terrorist attacks. It will be in force until the government enacts an antiterrorism law. Yusril said the new antiterrorism ordinance, which allows authorities to hold suspects without formal charges for up to seven days, was issued as the government realizes it lacks the legal basis to deal with terrorism after the Bali bombing.
He said the antiterrorism regulation upholds human rights "and we hope that it won't create any excesses in the form of human right violations." Unlike the original draft that gave the government the right to form antiterror teams drawn from various agencies, the final draft says the President, if necessary, will assign the coordinating minister for political and security affairs to cope with specific cases of terrorism.
The results of intelligence operations could be used as prima facie evidence after being approved by a court of law with the approval process taking no longer than three days. For investigation purposes, a suspect may be detained for six months. Unlike a law, a government regulation in lieu of law does not require House approval to take effect. But if the House rejects it within 30 days, the decree must be withdrawn. Megawati received a major boost regarding her new antiterrorist campaign after United States President George W. Bush called her on Thursday night to express his support.
A foreign diplomat told The Jakarta Post that Bush also expressed his condolences for the Bali bombing. During the conversation, Bush informed Megawati that Jamaah Islamiyah would be included on the UN terrorist list next week. Many have speculated that the antiterrorism regulations will be used to justify a crackdown on hard-line Muslim organizations that foreign countries castigate as having links to terrorist networks, including Jamaah Islamiyah.