Ba’asyir remains silent during questioning

Firebrand cleric and terrorist suspect Abu Bakar Ba’asyir remained silent and refused to speak during an interrogation at the National Police headquarters on Wednesday.

Ba’asyir was questioned on allegations that he had given support to terrorists in Aceh.

“He won’t talk,” Muslim Lawyers Team coordinator Ahmad Michdan said, as quote by kompas.com.

Detective chief Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi said that the police would not force Ba’asyir to answer questions. “It does not matter. It is a suspect’s right [to remain silent],” he added.

Ba’asyir reportedly refused to cooperate with investigators after his arrest Monday by police antiterror squad Detachment 88 on Monday.

Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang said that Ba’asyir believes the police’s investigators and the antiterror squad are lackeys of the US and Israel.

“If he answers questions, he thinks he will be cooperating with those two countries,” added Edward.