Police link Palopo blast to Makassar attacks<\/p>\n
Andi Hajramurni, Makassar, South Sulawesi<\/p>\n
South Sulawesi Police accused on Friday Agung Abdul Hamid, the
\nalleged mastermind behind the Dec. 5, 2002, blast that killed
\nthree in Makassar, of playing a key role in the recent terror
\nattack in Palopo regency.<\/p>\n
Agung is still at large and has been hunted by the police
\nsince the bombing of a McDonald's outlet and a car dealership in
\nMakassar.<\/p>\n
Provincial police spokesman Sr. Comr. Andi Nurman Thahir said
\ninvestigators had found evidence that Agung was an accomplice of
\nJasmin, who has been named the prime suspect in the Palopo
\nexplosion, which killed four people on Jan. 10.<\/p>\n
The police's belief is based on the confession of another
\nsuspect, Arman, to the effect that Agung and Jasmin, known as
\nMister X, ate together at a seafood restaurant in Palopo a few
\ndays after the Sampoddo Indah Cafe was bombed, Nurman added.<\/p>\n
\"The suspect (Arman) saw Agung, Idil (another suspect) and
\nMister X eating at a restaurant in Palopo after the incident,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, we strongly suspect that Agung was involved in the
\nbomb blast,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Moreover, Nurman said, a forensic investigation showed that
\nthe explosives used for the Makassar and Palopo blasts were
\nsimilar -- potassium chlorate, sulfur and aluminum.<\/p>\n
He said the police had arrested only five of the 12 suspects
\nin the Palopo bombing. Those arrested are Arman, Ahmad Rizal
\nalias Ical, Jedi, Benardi and Idil alias Abdul Muis bin Ca'di.<\/p>\n
The seven others being hunted are Agung Abdul Hamid, Munir,
\nJasmin alias Jamir alias Yamin bin Kasau, Ishak, Nirwan alias
\nIwan, Kahar alias Komar, and Aswandi.<\/p>\n
The police have officially charged only two of the five
\narrested men -- Arman and Idil -- with having roles in the terror
\nattack.<\/p>\n
Arman, who was captured in North Kolaka regency, Southeast
\nSulawesi, was believed to have known about the plan for the
\nbombing, while Idil, who was arrested in Bua village, Palopo, was
\nidentified as the person who collected funds for the mission.<\/p>\n
The two were charged under Articles 13 and 22 of Law No.
\n15\/2003 on terrorism for concealing information on terrorist
\nactivities, which carry the death penalty.<\/p>\n
\"We don't know the motive behind the incident,\" Nurman told
\njournalists in Makassar.<\/p>\n
Police have blamed Jamaah Islamiyah for involvement in the
\nMakassar blast and the Bali bombings on Oct. 12, 2001, which
\nkilled at least 202 people, many of whom were overseas tourists.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-link-palopo-blast-to-makassar-attacks-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}