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| Southeast Asia |
| Terror suspect Mohd Iqbal deported. Or not. |
| 2003-08-25 |
| The authorities have deported an alleged Islamic militant to Indonesia after releasing him from prison, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said. Mohd Iqbal Abdul Rahman, an Indonesian with permanent residency in Malaysia, was released on Friday after his two-year detention order under the Internal Security Act (ISA) expired. Story doesn’t say if Indonesia has any pending charges against him, or if he’s now free to resume his "career". |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #3 I like Iran's policy better. Especially when they release their detainees onto planes headed to Turkey. |
| Posted by: Steve D 2003-8-25 12:59:46 PM |
| #2 More details: Southeast Asian security officials accuse Iqbal, 46, of leading a Malaysian cell of Jemaah Islamiyah, the al-Qaida-linked regional extremist network blamed for bombings and plots, including last year's Bali nightclub blasts and the Aug. 5 Marriott blast. Officials say alleged terrorist mastermind Hambali, also an Indonesian, replaced Iqbal as the cell's leader after Iqbal's arrest. Malaysian officials gave no reason for Iqbal's release, and it was not immediately clear if he was wanted by Indonesian authorities. Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also responsible for domestic security matters, said Iqbal had been deported. But Indonesian police spokesman Col. Zainury Lubis said he had no information regarding Iqbal's deportation. Lubis said that as long as Iqbal was not implicated in any terrorist attacks or bombings in Indonesia, ''then there is no reason to arrest him.'' At least pick him up for "questioning". |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-8-25 12:26:32 PM |
| #1 There seems to be a bit of confusion: Suspected terrorist Mohd Iqbal Abdul Rahman was still being held at the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department headquarters in Damansara, said an official today. However, this contradicted Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s statement earlier that the 46-year-old religious preacher has already been deported. At press time, Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department public relations officer Ahmad Shukri told malaysiakini that Mohd Iqbal was still in custody here and awaiting deportation. "He is still here (in Damansara depot) until the process to deport him is finalised," he said but could not confirm when the deportation will be carried out. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-8-25 11:39:13 AM |