Bombing death toll rises to 17<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): Wawan Wahidin bin Engkos, whom police have
\ndescribed as a key witness in the wave of Christmas eve bombings,
\ndied here on Friday morning, raising the death toll in the bloody
\nSunday assault on nine cities to 17.<\/p>\n
Wawan, 22, was critically injured in the blast at a building
\non Jl. Terusan Jakarta, which police suspect was being used to
\nprepare the explosive devices.<\/p>\n
His body was buried not far from his house in Cikalong Selatan
\nin Cibiru district, Bandung regency, later in the day.<\/p>\n
\"We never really knew what he was doing. In the past three
\nyears he had been working in Tasikmalaya as a poultry farmer and
\nhe came home only once every five months,\" Engkos, Wawan's
\nfather, told journalists.<\/p>\n
Despite the apparent setback, authorities remained confident
\nof resolving the case, with President Abdurrahman Wahid
\npersonally claiming that authorities would soon arrest those
\nresponsible for the bombings.<\/p>\n
\"We are sure that they (the perpetrators) can be caught soon,\"
\nAbdurrahman said after Friday prayers in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Urging the public to be patient, he added, \"Even though we
\nknow who did it, we need (to gather) evidence (before we can)
\narrest them.\"<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman maintained that the attacks were aimed at
\ndestabilizing his 14-month-old government, adding that the
\nbombers were well-coordinated and well-funded.<\/p>\n
\"These acts were politically-motivated and they had nothing to
\ndo with religion at all. Certain people have been trying to
\nmisuse the name of religion for political interests,\" Abdurrahman
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
No one has claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks, which
\ntook place almost simultaneously across the country.<\/p>\n
At least 118 people were injured.<\/p>\n
Wawan was the fourth person to die in the Bandung blast.
\nEarlier on Friday the three other victims -- Enjang Bastian
\nLesmana, Maman and Akim -- were buried at Sinaraga Public
\nCemetery.<\/p>\n
\"Up until today (Friday) nobody has claimed their bodies. We
\nhave no choice but to bury them,\" an official at Hasan Sadikin
\nHospital said.<\/p>\n
Two others who were in the building at the time of the
\nexplosion, Roni and Agus, have been declared suspects by National
\nPolice headquarters.<\/p>\n
The two will likely be charged under State Emergency Law No.
\n12\/1951 for illegal possession and use of explosives and
\nweaponry, carrying a possible death penalty.<\/p>\n
A lawyer for Roni and Agus, Farhat Abbas, said on Friday that
\nthe two were recuperating at Sartika Asih Police Hospital and
\nhave revealed the mastermind behind the bombing.<\/p>\n
\"Both Roni and Agus have officially admitted to the police
\nthat the mastermind of the bombing plot in Bandung was Akim. The
\ntwo said they were paid Rp 300,000 each by Akim to place bombs at
\n(certain) targets,\" Farhat said.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, for the time being, I conclude that my clients
\nwere involved based on an economic motive,\" Farhat asserted.<\/p>\n
Police and hospital officials where the two are being treated
\nwere hastily called to alert on Friday when a bomb threat was
\nreceived by the hospital at 1:45 p.m.<\/p>\n
A sweep of the hospital found nothing.<\/p>\n
Mosques<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, a senior military intelligence officer, speaking
\non condition of anonymity, expressed pessimism that police would
\nbe able to resolve the bombing case.<\/p>\n
\"The actors were using a cell-system so that none of the
\nusers, the makers, and the executors of the bomb attacks knew
\neach other,\" the officer told The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"Even if police can arrest the two bomb-makers in Bandung, it
\ndoesn't mean they will find the links,\" the officer said while
\nexpressing belief that, despite being well-organized, the
\nassailants were not Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel.<\/p>\n
\"If elements of the TNI were involved in the bombing
\noperations, none of the targets would be missed. Besides, the
\nattacks would cause more fatal impact,\" he boasted.<\/p>\n
He further claimed that the attacks really have nothing to do
\nwith Muslim fundamentalists.<\/p>\n
\"It's too easy to point to them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
To support his claim that Muslim hardliners were not involved,
\nthe officer made a startling revelation by disclosing that
\nintelligence officers had also discovered explosive devices
\nplaced at several mosques in Jakarta on Tuesday night, the eve of
\nIdul Fitri.<\/p>\n
He refused to reveal which mosques had been targeted.<\/p>\n
He argued that certain political groups \"might be using groups
\nof Muslim hardliners\" and that they were exploiting Christmas eve
\n\"to seize power\".<\/p>\n
The officer further suggested that two major cities in Central
\nJava have been identified by intelligence officers as bases for
\nthe terrorist network.<\/p>\n
\"I'll tell you this. You go to Surakarta or Yogyakarta right
\nnow and you'll find out what is going on, and what will happen
\nduring these next three days,\" he said, declining to elaborate.<\/p>\n
Separately, members of the Indonesian Forum for Peace (FID)
\nvisited some of the victims injured during the Jakarta blasts,
\nbeing treated at the state Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM) and St.
\nCarolus hospitals.<\/p>\n
Members of the forum, sociologist Imam B. Prasodjo, former
\nminister of finance Mar'ie Muhammad and human rights activist
\nMunir, said the purpose of the visit was also to collect
\ntestimonies.<\/p>\n
They also donated Rp 2 million to each of the victims.<\/p>\n
The Forum was established shortly after the blasts to
\ndemonstrate concern over the attacks. It has also established a
\nfact finding team.<\/p>\n
From hospital reports it was ascertained that most casualties
\nwere suffering from wounds caused by shrapnel and burns.<\/p>\n
Munir, who is the secretary of the fact finding team, said the
\nteam had uncovered some \"interesting\" information.<\/p>\n
\"Just today we revealed similarities occurring prior to the
\nblasts in several places, including Jakarta and Mojokerto, East
\nJava: that there were intruders at churches who have more than
\none identity,\" he told journalists.<\/p>\n
He said that the Forum and the police have set an outline to
\ncooperate together openly, while the military chief and army
\nchief of staff have also said they would not hamper the
\ninvestigation if military elements were suspected.<\/p>\n
Imam B. Prasodjo warned that although Idul Fitri passed
\npeacefully, the possibility of further attacks during the New
\nYear festive period should be investigated.(team)<\/p>",
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