REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian government will speed up the revision of Law Number 15 of 2003 on counter-terrorism as a preventive measure against future acts of terrorism.

"We have talked with the President and the minister of justice and human rights to expedite the revision. With the revision, security agencies may be given more room to carry out better preventive measures," coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, Luhut Panjaitan, said here on Monday.

Eight people died following recent terror attacks, including four attackers and three civilians who were killed during the attacks, along another civilian who died later, after receiving hospital treatment. Some 24 people, including five police officers, were injured in the terror attacks.

Luhut said the main part of the law to be revised is regarding the authority to arrest alleged terrorists. So far, the police have found it difficult to make arrests of alleged terrorists when there was a lack of evidence, he said.

He noted that now the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) is preparing the draft revision of the law.

"It must be finished this year," he said.

Besides the terrorism law, the government is also considering revising the intelligence law to allow the intelligence agency to arrest terrorist suspects.

"It is worth consideration. Based on general stipulations, suspects may be arrested and held for 10 days, and released afterwards if no evidence is found. So why not revise it?" he asked.

Also, the chief of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), Sutiyoso, had earlier called for the revision of the law so that BIN could make arrests of terrorist suspects.

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