Three arrested for suspected mosque bomb links<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City police have arrested three people for their
\nalleged involvement in the Istiqlal Grand Mosque blast on April
\n19, a reliable source said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The police source said the three were apprehended late Friday
\nby a team of police detectives in separate raids in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The three are suspected to be members of a group who planted
\nexplosive devices on the ground floor of the biggest mosque in
\nthe region. The explosion shattered dozens of windows of at least
\n21 offices of Muslim-based organizations.<\/p>\n
The source close to the investigation team said the three men
\n-- identified only as Srd, By and Ant -- were being detained at
\ncity police headquarters.<\/p>\n
\"Srd and By are believed to be the people who planted the
\nexplosive devices on the ground floor of the mosque, while Ant,
\nwith his friend, who is still at large, were waiting outside,\"
\nthe source said.<\/p>\n
When asked whether the three had already been named as
\nsuspects, he declined to answer, saying the three had just been
\narrested and were yet to be questioned.<\/p>\n
\"We can arrest them and keep them here (in detention) because
\nwe have enough evidence,\" the officer said.<\/p>\n
At least another four people, allegedly involved in the attack
\non the six-story mosque, were still at large. The explosion
\nrocked the capital, causing many to speculate that the attack was
\npolitically motivated<\/p>\n
Police are reportedly chasing one of the four, believed to be
\na key suspect in crimes committed in Surabaya, the capital of
\nEast Java.<\/p>\n
When reports on the arrest were confirmed to the city police
\ndetective chief, Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo, he declined to
\ncomment.<\/p>\n
He even asked: \"Are the suspects really arrested? I haven't
\narrested anybody.\"<\/p>\n
\"Just wish me luck so that we can disclose the good news on
\nthe arrest next week,\" Alex said.<\/p>\n
The police source said Alex later left town to lead the
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
City police have so far questioned 24 witnesses in connection
\nwith the blast at the mosque in a bid to identify two men
\nsuspected of planting the bomb, who entered the mosque compound
\non an RX-King motorcycle. A sketch of the face of one of the
\nsuspects has been widely published in the media.<\/p>\n
It is believed that three other motorcycles left the mosque
\nshortly after the blast, soon after the two men on the RX-King
\nmotorcycle were seen speeding away.<\/p>\n
Recently police released the results of laboratory
\nexaminations on the chemical ingredients of the explosive
\ndevices.<\/p>\n
The powerful blast was reportedly caused by a bomb made from
\nthe highly explosive mixture of trinitrotoluene (TNT) and
\npotassium chlorate (KCLO3).<\/p>\n
Explosive substances are only sold to limited industries,
\nincluding the military and mining companies.<\/p>\n
The reports also said the explosive were connected to a timed
\ndetonator. (emf)<\/p>",
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