Indonesia is exploring ways to repatriate a Guantánamo Bay detainee accused of involvement in a series of deadly terror attacks, including masterminding the 2002 Bali bombings, according to reports.
Riduan Isamuddin, known as Hambali, was the former leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian terrorist group, and was considered al-Qaida’s top representative in the region. He is accused of being the ringleader in the Bali nightclub attack that killed more than 200 people, as well as financing the Jakarta Marriott Hotel bombing in 2003.
Hambali, described by former President George W Bush as “one of the world’s most lethal terrorists”, was arrested in 2003 after a raid on an apartment building in Thailand, and has been held in Guantánamo Bay since 2006.
It is not known whether he has denied the allegations against him.
Senior minister for law and human rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra told Reuters the statute of limitations on Indonesia’s cases against Hambali had expired.
“No matter what, Hambali is an Indonesian citizen. No matter how wrong he is … we must care for him,” Yusril said.
“[The] Indonesian government is aware about the sensitivity of this matter and will act carefully,” he added.
Jemaah Islamiyah was considered one of south-east Asia’s deadliest terrorist outfits, and was blamed for a series of attacks across the region, including Indonesian church bombings in 2000, and strikes on US targets in the Philippines.
However, after the 2002 Bali bombings the Indonesian authorities pursued a determined crackdown to dismantle the group, arresting prominent members and rolling out deradicalisation programmes.
Senior JI members announced in June that the network was to disband, and Indonesia is considering cutting the prison terms of former members.
Last year, two Malaysians held in Guantánamo Bay were returned to Malaysia, after they pleaded guilty to charges related to the deadly 2002 Bali bombings and agreed to testify against Hambali.
The two men – Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep – were due to undergo a rehabilitation process before being reintegrated into society, Malaysian officials said at the time.
