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Kalla objects to special prison for terrorism convicts
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Against terrorism prison -- Vice President Jusuf Kalla (pictured) objects to the idea of establishing a special penitentiary for terrorism convicts. (Antara/-)
T
he government has raised objections to the idea of establishing a special penitentiary for terrorism convicts and warned of potential dangers of such a facility.
"If [terrorism convicts] are united, they will form a ‘university’, where the seniors teach their juniors to be more active," Vice President Jusuf Kalla said, as quoted by tempo.co.
He acknowledged that gathering terrorists and inmates convicted of other crimes in the same penitentiary was also not without danger, since the radicals could try to convey their extreme beliefs to other inmates.
The idea of a secluded penitentiary was no better, however, because terrorism convicts could be more radical by the time they are released, since they would forge stronger bonds behind bars, Kalla said.
Wanted terrorism suspect Santoso aka Abu Wardah had reportedly recruited his young followers in prison, while in the case of the Islamic State (IS) group in the Middle East, most leaders of the global terrorist group had previously served sentences together in Iraqi penitentiaries, Kalla said.
Kalla’s comments follow calls from the National Police for the government to establish a special penitentiary for terrorism convicts. Police highlighted the spread of radical ideology from terrorist inmates to conventional inmates. (ebf)
