President Orders Tight Supervision of Terrorism Convicts

Jakarta (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered tight supervision of terrorism convicts following an allegation that former terrorism convicts have joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) movement. "There has been an instruction to limit the number of visits to and the movement of terrorism convicts," Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto told a press conference at the Presidential Office here on Sunday. Djoko Suyanto quoted a report that a number of Indonesians leaving for Syria to join ISIS are those who had been convicted of terrorism-related cases. The government would also step up the supervision of regions considered to be "classical" areas of radical movement sources, such as Poso and Ambon, he said. Law and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin said last July there were around 280 terrorism convicts locked up in 27 penitentiaries across the country. Four foreign nationals arrested by police for suspected involvement in ISIS were flown from Mutiara SIS Al Jufri airport in Palu, Central Sulawesi, to Jakarta on Sunday morning. (*)