Kastari's Singapore escape: Failed security or intentional?

Imanuddin Razak , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 03/05/2008 2:15 AM | Headlines

Singaporeans and people in neigboring countries, including Indonesia, were surprised -- if not shocked -- by the disappearance last Wednesday of Mas Selamat bin Kastari from a Singapore detention center.

People immediately speculated about whether it was a simple escape or intentional, as well as the possible involvement of international terror networks.

Kastari, a Singaporean who allegedly plotted to hijack a plane and crash it into Singapore's Changi Airport in 2001, "easily" escaped from the city state's Whitley Detention Center where he was being held under the country's Internal Security Act.

He is believed to have headed the Singapore branch of Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), a Southeast Asia-based militant group blamed for a series of deadly attacks, including the 2002 bombing of a Bali nightclub that killed 202 people, mostly foreigners.

The escape surprised everyone because Kastari was able to flee from a detention center of a country known for being technology-savvy and security oriented.

Big question marks and speculations were raised that something wrong must have happened surrounding his escape, with the Indonesian police immediately sending signals of disbelief that Kastari could so easily get away.

An official explanation regarding the escape and whether outsiders were involved is yet to be heard from the Singaporean authorities.

At the same time, Kastari's escape has also put Indonesia in a difficult position as fingers were immediately pointed at the country, which has been accused of harboring a number of JI leaders, including Dr. Azahari bin Husin and his accomplice Noordin M. Top, who is still at large.

Azahari and Noordin, both Malaysians, reportedly took shelter in a number of Indonesian cities before Azahari was shot dead in a gun battle with Indonesian security officers in Malang, East Java, in November 2005. Noordin reportedly escaped unhurt.

The possibility of Kastari reentering Indonesia upon fleeing prison in Singapore is high, as was familiar with a number of Indonesian cities.

Indonesian police arrested Kastari on Bintan Island in Riau, near Singapore, in February 2003 for carrying false ID. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison by the Surabaya District Court and released upon completing his term.

After being rearrested in Indonesia in January 2006, he was extradited to Singapore where he was held at the Whitley prison without having been formally charged.

Now that Interpol has issued an urgent worldwide alert, a good deal of homework must be done by the Singaporean authorities. They especially need to proceed with their own internal investigation regarding his escape and provide transparent and accountable information to the public in Singapore and the international community.

The Singaporean authorities must come clean in uncovering the truth, including who is behind the escape and what is being done to recapture the fugitive. Failure to publicly announce the results of their investigation will only make it harder to believe he "simply escaped".

As for Indonesia, the authorities here should put all their effort into assisting Singapore, especially if Kastari really reenters Indonesia through any of its hundreds -- perhaps thousands -- of entry points.

Indonesia's full support in pursuit of Kastari -- being sure to capture him the moment he is discovered to be in Indonesia -- will help remove the stigma the country bears as a safe heaven for terrorists.

It will also prove Indonesia is committed to combating terror and be an important step in bringing back the foreign investors and tourists who melted away after the bombings that happened in recent years.

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