JAKARTA - Five Malaysian policemen are in Indonesia to discuss exchanging information about a man accused by Kuala Lumpur and Singapore of having links to regional terrorism, a police spokesman said today.

"The visit is in return for the recent visit by our police to Malaysia. It's aimed at forging closer cooperation," Indonesian Brigadier General Edward Aritonang said.

"But they will also seek clarification on our findings in the case involving Hambali," the police general said, declining to give further details.

Malaysian authorities say Hambali, whose real name is Riduan Hishamuddin, is a leader of the Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia, which Kuala Lumpur says is believed linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.

He is an Indonesian citizen who also has residency in Malaysia.

The Malaysian team, led by Commissioner Salleh bin Matsom, arrived in Indonesia on Sunday and was due to return on Saturday, another officer at the Indonesian police headquarters said.

Still no evidence

On Tuesday they visited West Java police headquarters, the officer said, refusing to disclose the purpose.

Aritonang said last week that Indonesian police had yet to find any evidence linking Hambali to a regional terror network or to al-Qaeda, whose leader bin Laden is accused of masterminding the Sept 11 attacks on the US.

He said Hambali, along with Imam Samudra, was being sought in Indonesia after police found documents implicating him in a series of bomb attacks on Indonesian churches on Christmas Eve 2000, which left 18 people dead and scores injured.

Hambali was last seen in Indonesia in October last year, police said. They have asked Interpol to arrest him.

Indonesia has come under pressure from several quarters to take tougher action against alleged terrorist leaders but has played down the threat.

'True fighter'

Police have questioned Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, an Indonesian Muslim cleric. Singapore says he is a leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, a regional network which allegedly planned to blow up US targets in the island republic.

Ba'asyir, who has also been fingered by Malaysia, has denied any links to international terror but has praised bin Laden as "a true Muslim fighter". (AFP)