(AFP) The police today said Indonesia's top detective would begin talks focusing on cooperation against crime and terrorism.

The head of Indonesia's police detective unit, Insp General Engkesmen Hilep arrived late yesterday and would meet his Malaysian counterpart and other top officers, a police spokesman said.

"He will be having discussions on mutual cooperation on criminal matters," the official told AFP .

When asked if anti-terrorism issues would be discussed, he said: "The issue will be raised, but it would not be the main focus."

Reports in Jakarta quoted police chief General Da'i Bachtiar as saying Hilep would visit Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines to discuss anti-terrorism efforts including the suspected role of Indonesians.

Bachtiar said Hilep would seek permission to question detained Indonesians.

'General criminal matters'

The Malaysian official, however, denied the reports, insisting that talks would be focused on "more general criminal matters and exchange of information".

He said Hilep was scheduled to leave for Singapore Friday, where he was due to meet top police officers for similar talks.

The police have detained at least five Indonesians suspected of having links to local Islamic extremists in the Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM) and other terror networks, including Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda.

The government has suggested that the KMM has links with militants in Indonesia and the Philippines and that together they hoped to create Islamic states in the region.

Malaysia has also identified three Indonesian preachers as responsible for religious and militant indoctrination within the KMM.

Muslim fighter

One was said to be Ustad Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, who denied during police questioning in Indonesia last month that he was associated with al-Qaeda but hailed bin Laden as "a true Muslim fighter".

The others were Mohamad Iqbal Abdul Rahmat, who was detained here last June, and Reduan Hishammuddin better known as Hambali, whose whereabouts are unknown.

Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population, has come under international pressure to take action against Islamic militants.

Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayada, who was in Kuala Lumpur for talks earlier this week, angrily dismissed the criticism and pledged that Indonesia was committed to the fight against terrorism.