The Indonesian Government is exploring the possibility of repatriating from Guantanamo an Indonesian member of the terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) 23 years after his involvement in the heinous killing of 202 people in the 2002 Bali bombing.
Encep Nurjaman alias Riduan Isamuddin alias Hambali (60) has been a guest of the US Government for more than two decades in the notorious prison located at Guantanamo Bay on the Island of Cuba.
The Indonesia Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Prisons, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, says the Government is reviewing the status of both foreigners held in Indonesian prisons and Indonesians imprisoned abroad. Adding: “We are also concerned with (the welfare) of the Indonesian national whose name you may recall as Hambali, who was involved in the 2002 Bali bombing.
Speaking on Friday, 17 January 2025, in Jakarta, Yusril reviewed how Hambali became the subject of an international manhunt after the 2002 bombing before finally being arrested in Thailand in an international operation coordinated by the CIA in 2003. Held captive for three years at an undisclosed location, Hambali was then moved to Guantanamo, where he has been held without trial ever since.
Often described as “the Osama bin Laden of Southeast Asia,” Hambali is widely seen as a highly trusted confidant of bin Laden, serving as a liaison between Jemaah Islamiyah and al-Qaeda.
Hambali is often described as “the Osama bin Laden of Southeast Asia.” Some media reports describe him as bin Laden’s lieutenant for Southeast Asian operations. Hambali was a close friend of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who planned the Bojinka plot and the September 11 attacks.
Hambali is a self-avowed religious extremist who envisioned creating a Pan-Islamic theocracy encompassing Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and parts of the Philippines, Myanmar, and Thailand.
Minister Mahendra commented on the case: “Regardless, Hambali is an Indonesian citizen. Despite Hambali’s guilt or innocence, he still deserves our attention. The public needs to know that the Government is not only taking care of foreign prisoners in Indonesia, but we are also taking care of Indonesian citizens (imprisoned) abroad, including Hambali.”
Yusril revealed that Hambali had been detained for 23 years and had not received any legal certainty in the US. According to Yusril, if Hambali returns to Indonesia, the case against him will be over.
It is unclear if Hambali returned to Indonesia how the Philippines would handle an outstanding criminal case in which the Indonesian is wanted for the transfer of explosives from the Phillippines to Singapore.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Government is currently seeking to reconcile with JI. Meanwhile, JI has declared itself loyal to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and ceased all terrorist activities. “Because the case is over 18 years old, it can no longer be prosecuted. The current Indonesian Government’s policy is to reconcile with JI now that the terrorist organization has disbanded, ceased all terrorist activities, and proclaimed its loyalty to the Republic of Indonesia.
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