Manila – Two of the three Indonesians arrested in the Philippines last week have claimed links with leading political parties, police sources said yesterday.

One of them has also admitted to being a key lieutenant of Muslim cleric and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leader Abu Bakar Bashir. Agus Dwikarna told Philippine investigators he was the overall commander of a group called Laskar Jundullah and a chapter head of Dewan Dakwah Islamiyah (DDI).

The DDI, linked to the former ruling Golkar Party, was set up to coordinate the Islamic missionary activities through preachings and sermons, while the Laskar Jundullah advocates Syariah law for Indonesia's 80-per-cent Muslim population.

Tamsil Linrung, the second detainee, said he was a DDI member as well as treasurer of the National Mandate Party (PAN) led by current national assembly speaker Amien Rais. He quit the party post in January.

The third man, Abdul Jamal Balfas, said he was the manager of PT Bumi Daya Kutat, which he described as a contractor for an Indonesian mining firm.

All three were JI members and were arrested on suspicion of having links with the Al-Qaeda terror network.