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Establishing new spy agency would require law revision: BIN
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National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Sutiyoso speaks to journalists at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta. (thejakartapost.com/Wienda Parwitasari)
T
he State Intelligence Law would need to be revised if the Defense Ministry decided to form its own spy body, National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Sutiyoso said on Thursday.
"The law states that the actor in defense intelligence is within the Indonesian Military, namely the military's Strategic Intelligence Agency [BAIS]," Sutiyoso told journalists.
The Defense Ministry has yet to contact BIN to deliberate the plan, but Sutiyoso warned that the consequences of establishing a new agency could burden the ministry in terms of budget and human resources.
He said the central intelligence committee – which gathers all spy bodies in the country including those under the National Police, the Indonesian Military, the Attorney General's Office and numerous ministries – met and coordinated at least once a month.
However, Sutiyoso said, the Defense Ministry might not regularly receive information on the meetings from BAIS and, therefore, saw the need to establish its own intelligence body.
If the ministry's needs could in fact be accommodated by existing intelligence bodies, Sutiyoso said officials should try to enhance coordination so that a new spy agency did not need to be established. (bbn)
