The President of Indonesia today is signing a decree granting extensive powers to the country's police aimed at suppressing terrorists in response to the Bali bombing. It is expected that Megawati Sukarnoputri will allow the police to detain individuals without charges and to conduct phone tapping in today's emergency decree. The island of Bali and the site of the bombing were visited today by Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Mr. Howard warned of the possibility of further terrorist attacks and stated that his government strongly and urgently calls on the Indonesian government to take a tougher stance against terrorism. The Bali bombing resulted in over 180 deaths, many of whom were Australians. Today in Indonesia, it was announced that Abu Bakar Bashir, a radical Islamic cleric, has been hospitalized. He was scheduled to appear in court on Saturday to provide explanations regarding the recent Bali bombing. Associates of Mr. Bashir say he collapsed during a press conference and was taken to the hospital. Officials state that Mr. Bashir's hospitalization is not related to a police summons. Foreign intelligence agencies say Mr. Bashir is connected to the Indonesian Islamic group, which has also been accused of links to al-Qaeda. Mr. Bashir denies the allegations.
Wide-Ranging Powers Granted to Indonesian Police to Suppress Terrorists - 2002-10-18
The Indonesian President is granting police extensive powers to combat terrorism following the deadly Bali bombing that killed over 180 people. Australian Prime Minister John Howard has urged Indonesia to respond more aggressively to terrorism. The situation is complicated by the hospitalization of radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, who is linked to extremist groups.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Indonesian President signed a decree granting police extensive powers to combat terrorism following the Bali bombing, which killed over 180 people. This move comes amid calls from Australia for Indonesia to take a stronger stance against terrorism.
- The decree allows police to detain individuals without charges and conduct phone tapping.
- Abu Bakar Bashir, linked to extremist groups, was hospitalized before a court appearance related to the bombing.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Bali bombing was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Indonesia, prompting a reevaluation of the country's security policies. Indonesia has faced challenges with radical Islamic groups linked to al-Qaeda.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%