Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) has urged the Tangerang Police to drop the investigation against Omih, 28, a shoe worker who is accused of spreading terror through text message by her company PT Panarub Dwikarya.

Omih was released on Saturday when Police suspended her case. However, LBH Jakarta, who represented Omih, said Sunday that she still faced threats as the Police could reopen the case anytime.

LBH lawyer Maruli T Rajagukguk said that the detention did not have strong legal bases. He said that the Police should first determine whether or not Omih had intentionally arranged the terror.

"She sent the terror massage as an expression of resentment against her company, which she believed had abused the workers' rights," he said. What Omih had done, Maruli said, could not be categorized as a terror act.

Omih had long been disappointed in regards to the company's policies. She blamed the company for her daughter's death and not approving her request for leave to take care of the ill 2-year-old girl.

When Omih joined the labor union and protested against its poor management, the company responded the protest by laying Omih and 1,300 other workers off.

On Sept. 14, she sent a text message to the company's human resources manager Edy Suryono and production manager Guan An, saying that a bomb was being assembled to be exploded at the factory the next day.

The company reported the threat to the Police. The Tangerang Police did not find any evidence during a search at Omih's home, but still detained her anyway. During her detention, family members and colleagues were not allowed to visit her.

Omih was released with guarantees from many parties, including the LBH Jakarta, Ribka Tjiptaning, a lawmaker of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Human Rights Commission (komnas HAM) and labor unions.

Maruli said that detaining Omih was an attempt to divert the struggle of the labors to fight for their rights. "They make us busy with Omih's case so we put aside the problems at the company," he said. LBH Jakarta and the labor unions are currently fighting for rights of around 1,300 workers who have outstanding salaries since July.

Maruli said that they would try to gain international support so Adidas, PT Panarub Dwikarya's shoe-making partner, would end its cooperation with the company. (cor/lfr)