Fed: Howard must answer questions on Hambali: Rudd

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2006
Fed: Howard must answer questions on Hambali: Rudd

SYDNEY, Dec 22 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard must explain what representations have
been made to the US government seeking access to a key witness over the Bali bombings,
says the federal opposition.

Federal Labor leader Kevin Rudd today joined the prime minister in expressing disappointment
after the Indonesian Supreme Court overturned Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir's conviction
over the 2002 Bali bombings which killed 88 Australians.

The court has ruled that Bashir did not give his blessing to the bombings, which killed
a total of 202 people, overturning his conviction on conspiracy charges.

But Mr Rudd called on Mr Howard to explain why the Americans had not made Hambali,
the mastermind of the Bali bombings, available to the Indonesian judicial authorities.

Hambail was captured and taken into US custody and currently is detained at Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba.

"Hambali was and remains a critical witness when it comes to the Bali bombings. Hambali
was and remains a critical witness when it comes to the central role of Abu Bakar Bashir,
the spiritual head of Jemaah Islamiah," Mr Rudd told reporters.

"I find it very difficult to understand why the Americans would not make Hambali available
to the Indonesians, being such a central witness.

"The failure to make Hambali available to the Indonesians weakened the case in the
courts which the Indonesians could mount."

Mr Rudd said he presumed Mr Howard had made "strong representations" to the Americans
to have Hambali made available.

"My question to Mr Howard is this: what representations were made to the Americans
to make Hambali available to the Indonesians for cross-examination and for the gaining
of evidence and other material relevant to the case?" he said.

"Why were those Australian representations denied or refused by the Americans?"

Mr Rudd said he'd raised the question previously in Washington and received no satisfactory
response.

"I'm a long supporter of the Australian alliance with the United States, I've been
so throughout my public career and I'll be so in the future as well," he said.

"But we have disagreements with the Americans from time to time and this is one of them.

"I think it would be important for the Americans to make Hambali available now to Indonesian
prosecutors."

Mr Rudd also called for close surveillance of Bashir to address concerns over his ongoing
role in Indonesia and his continued inspiration to Islamist fundamentalists.

"We cannot simply allow this person to roam free," he said.

AAP ajc/it/cdh

KEYWORD: INDON BASHIR RUDD LEAD

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