Ismira Lutfia – A legislative bill giving intelligence agents authority to preemptively arrest suspected terrorists is still fiercely debated by opposing factions in the House of Representatives with no end in sight, even a year after it was first proposed.

Rights groups and lawmakers criticize the bill saying it gives too much power to intelligence agents. They fear such wide-reaching powers will lead to abuse, such as arresting individuals based on suspicion alone.

A.M. Hendropriyono, former chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), speaking on the sidelines of a radicalism seminar hosted by the Ministry of Defense, emphasized intelligence agents are not law enforcers – their task is preemption not prosecution.

Unlike other law enforcement laws, which authorize detention of a suspect after a criminal offense, he said intelligence law should authorize actions to prevent terrorist attacks and protects citizens from becoming victims of attacks.

"[Prosecution] is not the intelligence agency's domain," he said. "It works to carry out preemptive efforts and to advise what can and cannot be done."

Hendropriyono added intelligence law should be able to provide legal basis for intelligence operations to prevent terrorist attacks.

"But the problem [with the bill] is that it is turning into a bill about BIN," he said, "but [intelligence efforts] are also the responsibility of other government institutions, such as the Attorney General Office or immigration."