[A group of Indonesian politicians has called for President Megawati Sukarnoputri to address the parliament on US intelligence reports that Islamic extremists have twice unsuccessfully tried to assassinate her. And they claim some Indonesian Muslims are being unfairly targeted as possible terror suspects, pointing to Agus Budiman, an architect and a Muslim spent nine months in a US federal prison. He was accused of aiding the September 11th hijackers, but has been released and plans to sue the American government.]

Presenter/Interviewer: Linda LoPresti

Speakers: Lawyer Wirawan Adnan, who is representing Agus Budiman in his lawsuit against the US Government

Lopresti: During the early 1990's, Agus Budiman was studying architecture in Hamburg. He was part of what he describes as a lively Muslim community – a community which included Mohammed Atta, one of the alleged September 11 hijackers and Mohammad Belfas, another terror suspect. Budiman struck up a friendship with Atta and helped him move into a new house. Now fast forward seven years. Agus Budiman has moved to the United States. He allows Mohammed Atta to use him as a contact person to enter the US. But his big mistake is that he falsely certifies that Belfas is living at his address in Virginia. A week after the September 11 attacks, Agus Budiman is arrested for document fraud and held in a maximum security prison for nine months until he's released when no evidence can be found linking him to the events of Septemebr 11. Now back in Jakarta, he plans to sue the US Government for his ordeal. This is his lawyer, Wirawan Adnan.

Adnan: It was a minor violations ... it was a minor violation on a document, but he was sentenced and he has been put in a maximum security, he has been put in isolation. It was clear he has no indications or proof whatsoever that he is linked to the September 11th tragedy, and he was released based on that.

Lopresti: Agus Budiman has addmitted that he did have some association with the September 11 hijackers. What can you tell us about that?

Adnan: He does have acquaintance with someone who is a suspect of the FBI ... like Mohammed Atta, Mohammad Belfas for instance. He has a previous acquaintance with them; he knew them in the past, they both went to the same mosque in Germany. That's about it. He knew someone who is somehow connected to the tragedy, but it is a coincidence. They never established the relationship.

Lopresti: Now he was cleared of all charges in the United States, If he goes ahead with the suit, is he wanting financial compensation?

Adnan: Well financial compenstaion is not the ultimate goal here.

Lopresti: What is the objective?

Adnan: The remedies of the rehabilitaion that he has been found innocent, and that if he pursues for an [American] visa, he could be granted [one] because he was found innocent.

Lopresti: I undersatand the Indonesian Govenmnet is supporting any move by Mr Budiman to file suit against the US if that is the road that he wishes to take. Why do you believe that the government has entered ... has backed Mr Budiman. I mean this case is an individual one, not a case of govenment to government?

Adnan: Well I believe that because of the accusations there's a lot of terrorism in Indonesia and Agus Budiman has allegedly or suspectedly ... or at this stage the government of the United States still believe that he is linked to that but they cannot prove it. So we need to come out in the open and clarify the matter: that we are innocent.; that there is no terrorists here. We need to clarify that... We need to defend Indonesia as a nation, need to speak internationally that there are no terrorists here ... at least Agus Budiman is not, you know.