Bombing death toll rises to 17

Bombing death toll rises to 17

BANDUNG (JP): Wawan Wahidin bin Engkos, whom police have
described as a key witness in the wave of Christmas eve bombings,
died here on Friday morning, raising the death toll in the bloody
Sunday assault on nine cities to 17.

Wawan, 22, was critically injured in the blast at a building
on Jl. Terusan Jakarta, which police suspect was being used to
prepare the explosive devices.

His body was buried not far from his house in Cikalong Selatan
in Cibiru district, Bandung regency, later in the day.

"We never really knew what he was doing. In the past three
years he had been working in Tasikmalaya as a poultry farmer and
he came home only once every five months," Engkos, Wawan's
father, told journalists.

Despite the apparent setback, authorities remained confident
of resolving the case, with President Abdurrahman Wahid
personally claiming that authorities would soon arrest those
responsible for the bombings.

"We are sure that they (the perpetrators) can be caught soon,"
Abdurrahman said after Friday prayers in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.

Urging the public to be patient, he added, "Even though we
know who did it, we need (to gather) evidence (before we can)
arrest them."

Abdurrahman maintained that the attacks were aimed at
destabilizing his 14-month-old government, adding that the
bombers were well-coordinated and well-funded.

"These acts were politically-motivated and they had nothing to
do with religion at all. Certain people have been trying to
misuse the name of religion for political interests," Abdurrahman
said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks, which
took place almost simultaneously across the country.

At least 118 people were injured.

Wawan was the fourth person to die in the Bandung blast.
Earlier on Friday the three other victims -- Enjang Bastian
Lesmana, Maman and Akim -- were buried at Sinaraga Public
Cemetery.

"Up until today (Friday) nobody has claimed their bodies. We
have no choice but to bury them," an official at Hasan Sadikin
Hospital said.

Two others who were in the building at the time of the
explosion, Roni and Agus, have been declared suspects by National
Police headquarters.

The two will likely be charged under State Emergency Law No.
12/1951 for illegal possession and use of explosives and
weaponry, carrying a possible death penalty.

A lawyer for Roni and Agus, Farhat Abbas, said on Friday that
the two were recuperating at Sartika Asih Police Hospital and
have revealed the mastermind behind the bombing.

"Both Roni and Agus have officially admitted to the police
that the mastermind of the bombing plot in Bandung was Akim. The
two said they were paid Rp 300,000 each by Akim to place bombs at
(certain) targets," Farhat said.

"Therefore, for the time being, I conclude that my clients
were involved based on an economic motive," Farhat asserted.

Police and hospital officials where the two are being treated
were hastily called to alert on Friday when a bomb threat was
received by the hospital at 1:45 p.m.

A sweep of the hospital found nothing.

Mosques

In Jakarta, a senior military intelligence officer, speaking
on condition of anonymity, expressed pessimism that police would
be able to resolve the bombing case.

"The actors were using a cell-system so that none of the
users, the makers, and the executors of the bomb attacks knew
each other," the officer told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

"Even if police can arrest the two bomb-makers in Bandung, it
doesn't mean they will find the links," the officer said while
expressing belief that, despite being well-organized, the
assailants were not Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel.

"If elements of the TNI were involved in the bombing
operations, none of the targets would be missed. Besides, the
attacks would cause more fatal impact," he boasted.

He further claimed that the attacks really have nothing to do
with Muslim fundamentalists.

"It's too easy to point to them," he said.

To support his claim that Muslim hardliners were not involved,
the officer made a startling revelation by disclosing that
intelligence officers had also discovered explosive devices
placed at several mosques in Jakarta on Tuesday night, the eve of
Idul Fitri.

He refused to reveal which mosques had been targeted.

He argued that certain political groups "might be using groups
of Muslim hardliners" and that they were exploiting Christmas eve
"to seize power".

The officer further suggested that two major cities in Central
Java have been identified by intelligence officers as bases for
the terrorist network.

"I'll tell you this. You go to Surakarta or Yogyakarta right
now and you'll find out what is going on, and what will happen
during these next three days," he said, declining to elaborate.

Separately, members of the Indonesian Forum for Peace (FID)
visited some of the victims injured during the Jakarta blasts,
being treated at the state Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM) and St.
Carolus hospitals.

Members of the forum, sociologist Imam B. Prasodjo, former
minister of finance Mar'ie Muhammad and human rights activist
Munir, said the purpose of the visit was also to collect
testimonies.

They also donated Rp 2 million to each of the victims.

The Forum was established shortly after the blasts to
demonstrate concern over the attacks. It has also established a
fact finding team.

From hospital reports it was ascertained that most casualties
were suffering from wounds caused by shrapnel and burns.

Munir, who is the secretary of the fact finding team, said the
team had uncovered some "interesting" information.

"Just today we revealed similarities occurring prior to the
blasts in several places, including Jakarta and Mojokerto, East
Java: that there were intruders at churches who have more than
one identity," he told journalists.

He said that the Forum and the police have set an outline to
cooperate together openly, while the military chief and army
chief of staff have also said they would not hamper the
investigation if military elements were suspected.

Imam B. Prasodjo warned that although Idul Fitri passed
peacefully, the possibility of further attacks during the New
Year festive period should be investigated.(team)