Suspected Marriott bomber had explosive powder: Police<\/p>\n
Zakki Hakim and Rizky KD Ntoma, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Police are looking for at least 50 kilograms of explosive powder
\nand a car that belonged to Asmar Latin Sani, the suspected
\nsuicide bomber who was killed in the blast at JW Marriott Hotel,
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Bengkulu Police spokesman Comr. Dedy Jumadi said that the
\nexplosive powder had been taken by a suspected member of terror
\ngroup Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), Mohammad Rais, from Palembang in
\nFebruary this year and was kept at Asmar's house in Bengkulu
\nuntil March 2003.<\/p>\n
"According to Rais and Sardono, another JI member, who are now
\nin custody at Bengkulu Police Headquarters, Asmar was the one who
\nlater brought the explosives," Dedy said, as quoted by Antara on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
Asmar was identified as a resident of Jl. Nuzirwan Zainul no.
\n1, Kampung Bali, Teluk Sagara subdistrict, Bengkulu, based on a
\n1987 identity card that bore his photograph.<\/p>\n
However, when the police checked the address, no one knew of
\nAsmar, who was a graduate of Ngruki Islamic boarding school in
\nSurakarta, Central Java, and the number of his house did not even
\nexist.<\/p>\n
Sarwan, a resident of Kampung Bali, explained that no number
\nunder 100 existed on that street. It is possible that the address
\non Asmar's identity card was wrong.<\/p>\n
Earlier, National Police chief of detectives Insp. Gen. Erwin
\nMappaseng said the suicide bomber had been identified as Asmar,
\nbased on a reconstructed head that had been thrown up to the
\nfifth floor of the hotel in the blast.<\/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 a photo," he said.<\/p>\n
Police alleged that Asmar, originally from Padang but living
\nin Bengkulu, was the driver of the Toyota Kijang minivan laden
\nwith explosives and gasoline.<\/p>\n
Erwin said that Asmar was a member of the Pekanbaru-Medan
\ngroup that was allegedly involved in the Christmas 2000 bombings
\nin Pekanbaru, Riau, and Medan, North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Police will compare Asmar's DNA with that of members of his
\nfamily to confirm his 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 bombers who killed 202 people, mostly
\nforeigners, in Bali on Oct. 12, 2002.<\/p>\n
The identity of the suspected bomber was also confirmed by
\nAsmar's younger sister, Amanda. She recognized a scar caused by
\nan accident five years ago, Erwin said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, National Police spokesman Sr. Commr. Zainuri Lubis
\nsaid on Saturday that no special security measures were being
\ntaken to protect U.S. citizens in the country.<\/p>\n
"Naturally, property like office buildings, residential areas
\nor schools will be given special security priority," he said, as
\nquoted by detik.com news online.<\/p>\n
"There will be no special security for U.S. citizens, except
\nfor the embassy and its officers, but still not round the clock,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
However, he added, the security measures were not only for
\nU.S. property but were also in force for other countries, too.<\/p>\n
"It's a universal measure," he said.<\/p>\n
Police announced on Friday they suspected the bombing had been
\ncommitted by JI members.<\/p>\n
The organization was believed to be chaired by cleric Abu
\nBakar Ba'asyir, who is now being tried at the Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court for treason and immigration violations.<\/p>",
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