Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – What will it take for the world to believe that Indonesia is serious about fighting terrorism? New anti-terror laws have been passed, the Bali bomb suspects are being tried and Abu Bakar Bashir is being kept in jail during his trial, yet too little credit has been given to the country, says the government.

National Police spokesman Zainuri Lubis told The Straits Times: "In the past week alone, we arrested three more of the Bali bombers. We also nabbed suspects of the bombings in Makassar and Menado. What more evidence do they want?"

The senior commissioner's exasperated reply was in response to an International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) report published on Tuesday which questioned Indonesia's commitment to the fight against terrorism. The London-based agency wrote that the blasts showed Indonesia was a "major source" and target of transnational Islamic terrorism.

Despite the capture of 33 suspected bombers, police had yet to uncover the whole terror network or establish the group's ideological and international links. Even where the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) is concerned, the authorities "seemed to be wary of probing the overall JI network ... for fear of inflaming wider Indonesian Muslim opinion", the IISS said.

But dealing with terrorism in Indonesia is not as easy as in the United States, Mr Zairuni said. For one, there are legal restrictions. "In the US, people suspected of links with Al-Qaeda can be arrested, regardless of involvement in terror attacks, because the government has declared it a terrorist group," he said.

"But it doesn't work that way here. Our law does not hold a whole organisation responsible for the individual acts of its members." That is why suspects like alleged JI spiritual leader Bashir faces fewer criminal charges. Despite intelligence reports, police and prosecutors can pursue the case only using legal evidence.

Defence analyst J. Kristiadi of the Centre for Strategic International Studies here pointed out: "The report ... shows a lack of understanding and sensitivity to the country's situation." The government had shown boldness in prosecuting some Islamic militants in criminal cases despite the support some of them had, he said.

Last year, it dissolved the Laskar Jihad group, which had fought Christians in Maluku, and arrested its leader Jafaar Umar Thalib, although he was freed later.