JI linked with Marriott blast<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto and Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post
\nJakarta\/Makassar<\/p>\n
Police say the ongoing investigation into the JW Marriot Hotel
\nbomb attack is pointing towards the involvement of the Jamaah
\nIslamiyah (JI) regional terrorist network.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Friday that
\npolice had a list and photographs of suspects linked to JI, the
\nIslamic-based network believed responsible for the devastating
\nBali bombings.<\/p>\n
Da'i, speaking prior to meeting the House of Representatives'
\nCommission I on defense, pointed to similarities between the
\nMarriott and Bali bombings.<\/p>\n
The similarities included the explosives used, the fact the
\nbomb was triggered by a mobile phone and that the terrorists had
\nremoved the engine and chassis numbers from the car used as a
\nbomb, as they had done in Bali.<\/p>\n
\"We found a pattern that was specifically similar to Bali
\nbombings. The engine and chassis numbers of the car (used in the
\nbombings) have been erased by grinding,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Police claimed they already have names and pictures of the
\nsuspects.<\/p>\n
\"We have known the group, who they are. Those who have been
\narrested told police that they were from the same group,\" said
\nDa'i.<\/p>\n
Police say detained JI terror suspects told them they had
\nrecruited the suicide bomber.<\/p>\n
Despite all the information, Da'i said police had had trouble
\nfinding the suspects because they were using advanced
\ncommunications technology that could not be traced.<\/p>\n
\"The Bali terrorists used communications equipment that
\nenabled us to trace them.\"<\/p>\n
In Makassar, Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil said the
\npolice results and information from intelligence sources showed
\nthe suspects in the latest bombing, which claimed 10 lives and
\nleft 149 others injured, were JI members.<\/p>\n
\"I'm very sure that JI was behind the Marriott bombing. If
\npolice have yet to announce it publicly to date, maybe it is
\nbecause they still have to start (the investigation) from the
\ncrime scene,\" he told reporters.<\/p>\n
Matori recalled the arrest of nine suspected JI members in
\nseveral cities in Java. Those arrested suspects admitted to
\npolice investigators that they had planned to launch attacks to
\nseveral strategic places in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Police also seized detonators, TNT, weapons and documents
\nduring the arrest.<\/p>\n
Matori recalled the arrest of nine suspected JI members in
\nseveral cities in Java. Those arrested suspects admitted to
\npolice investigators that they had planned to launch attacks on
\nseveral strategic sites in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Police also seized detonators, TNT, weapons and documents
\nduring the arrest.<\/p>\n
National Police criminal investigation chief Insp. Gen. Erwin
\nMappaseng said the suicide bomber had been identified as Asmar
\nLatin Sani, 28. His reconstructed head, which had been blown up
\nto the fifth floor of the hotel in the blast, had aided in the
\nidentification.<\/p>\n
\"(His face) was identified by two arrested JI members, Sardono
\nSiliwangi and Mohammad Rais. They recognized the specific
\nfeatures of a scar on his temple and a mole on his neck when we
\nshowed them the picture,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Police alleged that Asmar, of Padang origin but living in
\nBengkulu, was the driver of the Toyota Kijang minivan laden with
\nexplosives and gasoline.<\/p>\n
Erwin said that Aswar was a member of the Pekanbaru-Medan
\ngroup who was allegedly involved in the Christmas bombings in
\n2000 in Pekanbaru, Riau, and Medan, North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Police will compare Asmar's DNA with his family members to
\nconfirm the identity.<\/p>\n
\"The group (in which Sardono and Rais are members) is really a
\nsmaller terrorist group, part of the Bali gang,\" Erwin said,
\nreferring to the Bali bombers who killed 202 people, mostly
\nforeigners.<\/p>\n
The identity of the suspected bomber was also confirmed by
\nAsmar's younger sister, Amanda. She recognized the scar caused by
\nan accident five years ago, Erwin said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ji-linked-with-marriott-blast-1447893297",
"image": ""
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