Indonesian government approves emergency anti-terrorism decree
03:21 PM EDT Oct 18

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - The Indonesian government approved an emergency decree early Saturday to give itself expanded powers to fight terrorism and bring the bombers responsible for the Bali nightclub attack to justice. Justice Minister Yusril Izha Mahendra announced the decree after a cabinet meeting.

There was no immediate explanation for the delay, but Indonesia has been hesitant to crack down on terrorism for fear of provoking a backlash by Islamic extremists.

Many Indonesians are also hesitant in giving wide powers to the security forces - with their long record of brutal human rights abuses - that the fledgling democracy has struggled to rein in since dictator Suharto was toppled in 1998.

But international pressure after the attack in Bali, which killed at least 183 people and injured more than 300, has forced President Megawati Sukarnoputri's government to take long-stalled anti-terror legislation off the parliamentary back-burner and fast-track it as an emergency decree.

"After what happened in Bali, Indonesia urgently needs a law to fight terrorism," Mahendra said. "By having this decree, we have the authority to take action against terrorism."

The decree came in two sections - a general one against terrorism, and another dealing with the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the Bali blast.

Mahendra said that the announcement was delayed by discussions over unspecified points, and the need to print copies. The government was in the process of releasing the specifics to journalists.

The provisions will be carried out by the police, a key issue for activists who feared involving the military in law enforcement issues, Mahendra said.

Getting new anti-terrorism powers on the books was seen as a crucial test of Indonesia's resolve in fighting terrorism after months of denying that Islamic extremism or al-Qaida were a problem here.

Jemaah Islamiyah, an al-Qaida ally in Southeast Asia, is under suspicion of being behind the Bali attack, in which a pair of bombs tore through a nightclub district frequented by young tourists.