The government will investigate a news report claiming that Terengganu Menteri Besar Abdul Hadi Awang was at a meeting attended by Islamic radicals in Indonesia three years ago, according to a report today.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said a probe will be initiated when asked to comment o­n the call by Umno Youth to verify if Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Basyir was also present at the meeting as claimed by the report in the Star daily this week.

Abu Bakar, now under arrest in Jakarta since the Bali bombing last October, was alleged to be the head of a militant Mujahidin Council of Indonesia.

According to the same report, the leader of Laskar Jundullah, Agus Dwikarna, who is serving a 17-year jail term for his involvement in several bombings in Manila and Jakarta, was also present.

However, Mahathir said he was not sure if the details in the report were correct.

"We do not know... I hope he (Hadi) is not involved in criminal activities committed by a number of people out there," the premier was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Share party's experience

To a question if Hadi's presence at the meeting implied that PAS was involved in militant activities, he said, "We know that many members of the militant movements are also PAS members".

Hadi, who is also acting PAS president, had said he was invited by a university and several non-governmental organisations in Indonesia to the meeting held in Makassar.

He said he was there to share his the party's experience of trying to implement Islamic laws in Terengganu and Kelantan in conjunction with the amendment of Indonesia's constitution at that time which effected the provision of autonomous powers to certain provinces.

He also said the meeting was attended by academicians and Indonesian politicians such as the deputy speaker of Parliament M Fatwa.