Bombing suspect expresses remorse

JAKARTA: A suspect in the Marriott hotel bombing, Masrizal, alias Tohir, told the court on Tuesday he regretted his involvement in the terrorist attack on Aug. 5, 2003.

"I deeply regret that many Muslims fell victim to the bombing," Tohir said in answering a question from the presiding judge at the South Jakarta District Court, Sri Mulyani.

Tohir, who comes from Pekanbaru, Riau, said the attack was aimed at blowing up buildings considered to be U.S. assets because that country was regarded as the mastermind behind all turmoil on earth.

He said he had worked to the orders of Malaysian Noordin M. Top to carry explosives from Lampung to Jakarta and prepare accommodation and transportation for everybody involved in the bombing plan.

Besides the hotel, the group also targeted the Citibank and Caltex buildings as well as certain buildings in the Pondok Indah area, Tohir said. -- Antara