Bombing cases reenacted

Bombing cases reenacted

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two men alledged to have taken part in last year's Christmas
bombing campaign in Jakarta, have helped police recreate attacks
on the Atrium Plaza and a catholic high school.

"The reconstructions are needed to complete the police reports
before all documents are brought to court," City Police spokesman
Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam told reporters on Wednesday.

Anton said the reconstructions presented Malaysian citizens
Dani, alias Taufik Abdullah, and alledged confessed serial bomber
Abas, alias Edi Sutiono, as the prime suspects in the bombings.

It is alledged that on Aug. 1 Dani brought a bomb wrapped in a
plastic bag, and stood near a column in the west lobby of the
Atrium Plaza, Central Jakarta awaiting a signal from four friends
including Abas.

But, before the bomb was planted, it exploded and injured six
people at the scene, including Dani whose right leg has since
been amputated.

The bomb was intended for a bus load of Christians holding a
religious gathering at the Aston hotel adjacent to the plaza.

Based on Dani's testimony, police tracked down the other
suspects, including Abas who was arrested on Sep. 12 in
Tasikmalaya, West Java.

Following Abas' arrest, the police arrested 12 other suspects
undergoing military-style training in Pandeglang, West Java.

All of the suspects belonged to the Jihad squad of a Mujahidin
group based in Malaysia, police said.

Police said Abas had admitted that he was involved in the
bombings of several churches in the capital around Christmas last
year, which claimed 19 lives.

In Wednesday's reconstruction of the Christmas-day bombing in
front of Kolese Kanisius, a Catholic high school in Menteng, Abas
and another suspect were dropped off at Gambir railway station in
Central Jakarta.

From Gambir, they took a three-wheeled pedicab, bajaj, but
seperated with Abas heading to Kolese Kanisius while the second
man made his way to a church he has since admitted bombing.

It is alledged Abas went to Kolese Kanisius on foot and put
two bombs wrapped in black plastic bags under two parked cars.

Anton said thus far, police believed the Malaysia-based
Mujahidin was behind the Christmas attacks.

The group, however, were not linked to the Plaza Atrium
bombing and the recent attack on Petra church in North Jakarta as
police alleged the Free Aceh Movement and another radical group
respectively were behind the bombings.