JAKARTA, 27 September 2003 — An Indonesian student arrested in Pakistan has admitted to helping his brother Hambali, a militant accused of masterminding bombings in Southeast Asia and of being Al-Qaeda’s regional contact, Antara news agency said.
Gun Gun Rusman Gunawan had said five other Indonesian students arrested by Pakistani police for possible links to militants were innocent, Indonesia’s state-run agency reported.
The Antara news agency said in the Thursday report from Karachi that an Indonesian consulate official, Temu Alam, had met Gunawan, who had admitted sending Hambali money.
“They are not guilty,” the Indonesian official quoted Gunawan as saying, according to the report.
“I am the one guilty of helping Hambali by sending him $50,000 and compact discs a few months ago.”
“Someone named Toha from the Middle East met me many times when I was in Thailand. He asked me to send money to Indonesia from Pakistan,” Gunawan was also quoted as saying. “My friends knew nothing. I regret having helped my brother.”
Pakistani authorities have arrested 19 Islamic students from Southeast Asia since Saturday on suspicion they had links with militants. Six were from Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, and the others from Malaysia, officials said.
Indonesian diplomat Temu, who had been given access to Gunawan and another Indonesian prisoner, said Wednesday they appeared to be in good health.
Antara also reported Temu citing Gunawan as saying he sent compact discs to a man identified as a relative of the militant Indonesian cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir.
