Police seek evidence linking bombing, bank raids<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta\/Semarang<\/p>\n
Police are currently seeking evidence as to whether the JW
\nMarriott Hotel bombing was financed by money stolen in May from a
\nbank and a money changer in separate incidents in Medan, North
\nSumatra, as claimed by a suspect.<\/p>\n
National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Erwin Mappaseng
\ntold a press conference on Wednesday that one of the 11 suspects
\nin the robberies claimed that he gave some Rp 5 million (US$588)
\nout of the takings \"to finance his group's activities\".<\/p>\n
The suspect, identified as Tony Togar, was arrested in the
\nRiau capital, Pekanbaru, early in June.<\/p>\n
Four robbers, led by Tony, managed to get away with Rp 133
\nmillion in cash from a branch of Lippo Bank in Medan on May 6.
\nTwo security guards were killed in the robbery and police have
\nyet to arrest the other perpetrators although they claim they
\nalready have sketches of them based on descriptions provided by
\neyewitnesses.<\/p>\n
Tony is also believed to have been behind the robbery of tens
\nof thousands of dollars from a money changer in Medan in June.<\/p>\n
The police, Erwin said, believed that the money was partly
\nused to finance the Marriott bombing.<\/p>\n
This confession, however, raises questions as earlier Asia's
\nmost wanted terrorist suspect, Hambali, who was arrested in
\nThailand, was said to have transferred $45,000 to a Malaysian,
\nLili, in June. Lili was also believed to be in Thailand at that
\ntime.<\/p>\n
Lili then transferred the money to Idris, who was arrested by
\npolice in June, and is currently in the custody of the Thai
\npolice.<\/p>\n
Idris has been declared a suspect, along with 10 others, in
\nthe Marriott bombing on Aug. 5 that killed 12 people and wounded
\n147 others. He is also believed to be the one who recruited Asmar
\nLatin Sani and Tohir, the alleged perpetrators of the bombing.<\/p>\n
That Asmar died in the blast was confirmed after police
\nconducted a DNA test on some body parts found at the scene, while
\nTohir is still on the loose.<\/p>\n
The Bali bombings were also financed by the takings from
\nrobberies. These blasts in the tourist resort of Kuta on Oct. 12,
\n2002, killed 202 and injured around 300 others.<\/p>\n
One of the suspects, Imam Samudra, who is currently standing
\ntrial, was said to have robbed a jewelry store in Banten to
\nfinance the bombings.<\/p>\n
\"These people believe that they did fa'i (in perpetrating the
\nrobberies),\" Erwin said.<\/p>\n
Fa'i refers to the group's belief that they were not stealing
\nfrom others but only claiming their rights.<\/p>\n
Another suspect, Amrozi, was given the death penalty by
\nDenpasar District Court on Aug. 7.<\/p>\n
The police are still searching for Malaysians Dr. Azahari and
\nNoor Din Mohd Top due to their alleged involvement in the
\nMarriott bombing.<\/p>\n
Azahari, believed to be an active bomber, and his accomplice
\nDulmatin, have been on the police's wanted list for their role as
\nthe bombmakers in the Bali bombings.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Didi
\nWidayadi said that the authorities had closed some 10 bank
\naccounts belonging to unidentified people for alleged involvement
\nwith unidentified terror network in the province.<\/p>\n
Didi did not name the banks.<\/p>\n
He said that the police have detected that those accounts have
\nbeen used by the network to save money allegedly obtained from
\nseveral robberies against bank clients across Central Java.<\/p>\n
\"Our preliminary investigation reveals that the money was used
\nfor terrorism,\" Didi told reporters after the signing of MoU
\nbetween the police and Bank Indonesia representative in Semarang
\nover bank protection.<\/p>\n
Didi said that the police have yet to trace where the money
\ndisbursed to as \"Mr. X (the robbery mastermind) has yet to be
\narrested\".<\/p>\n
There were a total of 39 robberies against bank clients
\nrecorded from 2002 to Aug. 2003 in 16 towns in Central Java.
\nPolice estimated that the robbery gang has 39 members. The
\nrobbers have killed three people and injured 12 others during
\ntheir operations.<\/p>\n
As many as 10 of the robbers have been arrested while three
\nwere shot to death by police, Didi said.<\/p>\n
\"The police must act resolutely against robberies. The
\nraiders often shoot indiscriminately, so the police must be
\nfaster,\" said Didi, adding that police officers were permitted to
\nshoot raiders if necessary.<\/p>\n
Moerdjono, a BI representative, admitted that some banks had
\ninadequate security equipment, and frequently employed
\nunqualified security guards to protect their premises.<\/p>\n
\"I've heard that many of them have no training as security
\nguards,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-seek-evidence-linking-bombing-bank-raids-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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