Heru Andriyanto & Markus Junianto Sihaloho – Authorities have arrested 436 terror suspects since the country launched a major crackdown on terrorism in the wake of the October 2002 Bali bombings, according to a government report issued on Monday.
Of that figure, 360 suspects are either being prosecuted or have already been convicted, stated the report, issued by Widodo Adi Sucipto, the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs.
Indonesia adopted a tough anti-terror law following the first Bali bombing, which killed 202 people.
Under the law, five militants have been condemned to death, including Bali bombers Amrozi, Ali Ghufron and Imam Samudra, who were executed last November.
Two other death row inmates, identified as Iwan Darmawan Muntho and Achmad Hasan, have appeals pending.
"They were convicted of the [September 2004] Australian Embassy bombing," Attorney General Hendarman Supandji told the Jakarta Globe. "They are currently appealing their convictions in the Supreme Court," he said.
The attack on the embassy, in which nine Indonesians were killed, was one of four major attacks between 2002 and 2005 that rocked Indonesia.
"Since the second Bali bombings, in October 2005, there have been no major attacks, but the danger of terrorism remains potent," the report states.
In the 2005 Bali bombings, three suicide bombers launched attacks in three different areas, killing at least 21 people.
Widodo Adi Sucipto noted that despite the arrest of hundreds of suspects, several key suspects were still at large, such as Noordin Muh Top, the alleged mastermind of the major attacks between 2002 and 2005.
The report, which was provided to the House of Representatives Commission I, which oversees defense, also states that Jakarta has established bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation with seven countries, including Australia, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Romania, Russia and Sri Lanka.
The government is also negotiating cooperation with six other countries: Poland, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sudan, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.