T

he family of terror suspect Bagus Budi Pranoto alias Urwah have demanded the police let them take the body for burial.

Ismanto, the father of Urwah and Taufik, Urwah's cousin came to the National Police Hospital on Saturday to identify and take Urwah's body. But, they were not allowed to see it due to hospital procedures.

Ismanto stayed silent although reporters asked about his feelings.

"As Muslim people, we hoped the National Police chief could speed up the identification. We hope the body can soon be returned," said family spokesperson Endro Sudarsono.

"We are disappointed. We came a long way to get here and we must leave again *without the body*," said Endro who is secretary of the Islamic Study and Action Center, an NGO which provides advocacy services to the families of terror suspects.

Endro said the family hoped to bury Urwah as soon as possible in accordance with Islam's teachings.

According to Endro, the hos-pital staffs said that they are still compiling the forensic data on the body.

"The hospital said that the body can probably be taken a week from now. Monday would be the soonest. But again, there is no fixed date, we just wait the hospital's decision," he said.

On Friday, the families of two other terror suspects, Aryo Susilo and Aji, were also unable to acquire their relatives' bodies.

"Both families have gone back to their home towns," said Endro.

Endro said that Urwah's family was interviewed by the hospital staff regarding Urwah's physical characteristics and background information.

The family also gave pictures of Urwah to the staff to help with identification.

"It has been ten days since Urwah died and the fingerprints matched with Urwah's. The identification process should have been finished. The family should be allowed to take back the body," said Endro.

According to Endro, Urwah's family did not know about his alleged involvement in acts of terrorism because they lived separately.

"The family live in Kudus while Urwah stayed in Sukoharjo both in Central Java," he said.

Endro said that the family would be back to take the body once the hospital told them they could do so.

The Islamic Study and Action Center and the families planned to asked for a fatwa from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) so that the burial process could be done as soon as possible.

MUI chairman Ma'ruf Amin said on the phone that the police should return suspects' bodies to the families promptly.

"MUI is willing to give a fatwa so that the family can soon bury him but we must first ask the police about the reasons for holding the bodies," he said.

National Police chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri said Friday that the family could take the bodies as soon as possible.

"The identification processes have been done," said Bambang.

He said the families had the right to bury their relatives.