Probe to expose possible bomb blast suspects<\/p>\n
I Wayan Juniartha and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post,
\nDenpasar<\/p>\n
The investigation team probing the deadly Bali bomb blasts of
\nOct. 12 are set to release sketches of three men who may be able
\nto help investigators with their inquiries.<\/p>\n
Insp. Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika, who chairs the inquiry team,
\ntold The Jakarta Post here on Monday that investigators would
\nrelease the sketches of three people who may have played a role
\nin the bombings.<\/p>\n
\"We are now still in the process of finalizing and perfecting
\nthe sketches. Hopefully, by Wednesday, the sketches will be
\ncompleted and distributed to the public through the media,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"I believe the initial sketches are not complete. It will be
\ndifficult for the public to identify or recognize somebody by
\nlooking at the rough sketches,\" he said.<\/p>\n
More than two weeks after the blasts, there has been little
\nvisible progress made by the inquiry team.<\/p>\n
The joint team, comprising investigators and experts from a
\nnumber of countries, have questioned almost 200 people, including
\nten Pakistanis.<\/p>\n
Almost 200 people were killed and more than 325 injured in the
\ntrio of blasts in Kuta, in what may be the world's single biggest
\nact of terrorism since the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.<\/p>\n
The prior arrest in Indonesia of terror suspect Omar Al-Faruq
\nand his interrogation by U.S. authorities has revealed the
\nalleged involvement of Indonesian figures in terrorist
\nactivities, including Hambali, a resident of Cianjur in West
\nJava, and Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, owner of the Al-
\nMuqmin Islamic Boarding School in Ngruki, Surakarta, Central
\nJava.<\/p>\n
Al-Faruq, who once worked as a Muslim preacher in Makassar,
\nSouth Sulawesi, and Ambon, Maluku, has implicated the two were
\ninvolved in several bombings and a plot to assassinate President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Ba'asyir, now in police custody, has rejected the accusations.<\/p>\n
Ba'asyir has been linked to Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), an alleged
\nterrorist organization that aims to create a pan-Islamic state in
\nSoutheast Asia. JI has been officially declared a terrorist
\norganization with links to al-Qaeda, the network apparently led
\nby Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.<\/p>\n
The links have stoked fears that al-Qaeda or JI cells are
\noperating undetected in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The intelligence team led by National Intelligence Agency
\n(BIN) Chief Hendropriyono has claimed to have identified the
\nperpetrators of the Bali blasts. No arrests have been made.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
\nAffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono rejected on Monday rumors of two
\nArmy generals being involved in the bomb blasts, saying no
\ngenerals had ever been mentioned in intelligence reports.<\/p>\n
\"Many rumors have been making the rounds about the terrorist
\nattacks in Bali. Only 90 minutes ago did I discuss with the
\nNational Police chief the rumors about the involvement of two
\ngenerals in the Bali bomb explosions.<\/p>\n
\"I would like to call on all parties concerned to allow the
\nprocess of the investigation to continue and refrain from making
\nany conclusions pending the conclusion of the investigation,\"
\nSusilo said.<\/p>\n
He warned against people reaching hasty conclusions that could
\nlead to increased friction between social groups and even
\nnational disintegration.<\/p>\n
In a related development, British ambassador to Indonesia
\nRichard Gozney and Australian Ambassador Richard Smith held a
\nmeeting with Bali Governor I Dewa Made Beratha to discuss opening
\nthe crime site to the public.<\/p>\n
The governor said the investigation had disrupted public
\naccess to the area, and prevented the local Balinese from
\nconducting the necessary cleansing rituals.<\/p>\n
Legian street, where the destroyed Sari Club and Paddy's bar
\nwere located, has been cordoned off as police sift through the
\ndebris.<\/p>\n
Several areas around the blast site were opened on Sunday
\nevening, but 'ground zero' outside Sari Club and Paddy's is still
\noff limits.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/probe-to-expose-possible-bomb-blast-suspects-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}