Fugitive terrorist may attack 6 months after Marriott blast<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro and Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Thursday that
\nfugitive Malaysian terror suspect Dr. Azahari bin Husin was
\nplanning an attack in early February to mark the six-month
\nanniversary of the JW Marriott hotel bombing in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to Da'i, handwritten notes found in a rented room
\nthat had been used by Azahari in Bandung, West Java, showed he
\nwas plotting a new bombing. A confession from other detained
\nmilitants, Ismail and Tohir, confirmed those plans, he said.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, he said that possible targets were not known
\nuntil "we are able to arrest the fugitive."<\/p>\n
Azahari, together with Noordin Mohammad Top, is allegedly a
\nleader and bombmaker for Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), the al-Qaida-
\nlinked terror group blamed for last year's Bali bombings, which
\nkilled 202 people, and the Aug. 5 Marriott blast that killed 12
\nand injured 150 others.<\/p>\n
Both Azhari and Noordin narrowly escaped a police raid on
\ntheir rented house in Bandung on Oct. 29. Police believe that the
\nfugitives carried only a small amount of explosives with them
\nthat could be used to commit suicide if they were in danger of
\narrest. The police added that, at worst, they could only endanger
\npeople in close proximity to them.<\/p>\n
"The confession of Tohir (shows) that six months after the
\nattack on the JW Marriott hotel, (Azahari) will launch another
\n(attack)," Bachtiar said after holding a meeting at the Office of
\nthe Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs.<\/p>\n
Tohir and Ismail were arrested last month in Cirebon, West
\nJava. They are accused of helping plan the Marriott blast.<\/p>\n
National Police chief of detectives Erwin Mappaseng said on
\nThursday that several locations had become targets in terrorist
\nplans.<\/p>\n
"Yes, there are notes showing places that are targeted by the
\nterrorists but we cannot specify the places, to avoid causing
\npanic among the public," said Erwin.<\/p>\n
He added that police had anticipated the attacks by tightening
\nsecurity at the places mentioned in the notes.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, a one-star general familiar with the terrorist
\ninvestigation told The Jakarta Post that the terrorist would
\nattack at least 12 buildings.<\/p>\n
Among the targets mentioned were Citibank Landmark at
\nSetiabudi, South Jakarta, Citibank Pondok Indah, South Jakarta,
\nthe Caltex office, West Jakarta, residences of expatriates, Hero
\nshopping center and Kem Chicks, all in Kemang, South Jakarta, JW
\nMarriott Hotel, South Jakarta, and internationals schools,
\nincluding Jakarta International School and the Australian
\nInternational school.<\/p>\n
Erwin refused to confirm the report and would only say that
\nthe terrorist would prioritize U.S. interests in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"Their prime targets will be American interests -- not to
\nexpel foreigners from Indonesia but to make people panic," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Erwin denied claims that the terrorists have been able to
\nenter Jakarta and that police have already been able to locate
\nthem.<\/p>\n
"No, they are not in Jakarta and if we knew their whereabouts
\nwe would simply arrest them," he said.<\/p>\n
Da'i said earlier that the police had managed to identify the
\nhideouts of both Azahari and Noordin. He said that it was just a
\nmatter of time before the two fugitives were captured.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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