Comments on the death of Umar Faruq

By Kenneth Conboy

Indonesian security officials privately welcomed news that Umar Faruq had been killed in Iraq on 25 September, as there has been a lingering concern the al-Qaeda terrorist might attempt to return to Southeast Asia after his July 2005 escape from an Afghan prison. Some comments on Faruq:

* After his June 2002 capture in Indonesia, Faruq proved to be one of the most prolific sources of information regarding foreign extremists in Southeast Asia. As was the case with Hambali, he began talking almost immediately after his arrest, and went on to provide details of his activities during questioning that lasted for more than a year. Faruq apparently did not need to be coerced into talking; he was reportedly proud of his role in extremist activities.

* Faruq was questioned by Indonesian police investigators in 2003 in order to obtain information for the trial of militant Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. In order to abide by Indonesian law, Faruq's testimony would only be valid in court if it was given on Indonesian territory. The Indonesians reportedly came up with a pragmatic solution: an Indonesian flag was unfurled and Faruq's cell temporarily was declared Indonesian soil. In the end, his comments were of little value: Faruq had only a couple of fleeting encounters with the cleric, and most of his information about Ba'asyir was hearsay.

* Indonesians are often game for a good conspiracy, and after Faruq escaped from an Afghan prison in July 2005, rumors circulated that he had actually been doubled by U.S. authorities and released on a mission to infiltrate al-Qaeda cells elsewhere in Afghanistan. These rumors would now appear laid to rest.

* It has long been suspected that Faruq, who was born of Iraqi parents, would attempt to join the insurgency in Iraq. This speculation was supported by reports in recent months that his Indonesian wife had been receiving frequent cell phone calls from unidentified persons in Iraq. It is not known if these calls played a role in tracing his whereabouts.

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