By Nik Nurfaqih Nik Wil
JAKARTA: Indonesia has clarified that its arrest and deportation of Palestinian national Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad were based on a valid Interpol Red Notice requested by the Cypriot authorities.
Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Coordinating Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the clarification followed growing public claims that Miqdad was a Palestinian cleric or humanitarian activist, prompting the government to verify his identity and background with the Palestinian Embassy in Jakarta.
“Based on the available data and documents, Abdul Karim, 41, is a businessman, not a Palestinian activist or a Muslim preacher,” he said, according to the Antara news agency, late Wednesday.
Yusril said Miqdad, who was arrested in Tangerang, Banten, on July 16 and deported to Cyprus the following day, would stand trial there on terrorism charges brought by the Cypriot authorities, adding that Indonesia would seek assurances that he would not be extradited to a third country.
He added that there was no evidence Miqdad had been involved in humanitarian activities in the Gaza Strip, as was widely believed.
Miqdad had lived in Indonesia for the past three years, was married with children and frequently travelled overseas, he said.
— BERNAMA
