Five arrested for alleged heist

BOGOR (JP): Police arrested five men on Tuesday suspected of involvement in an audacious armed robbery attempt at the Gang Kancil branch of Bank Central Asia in Taman Sari, West Jakarta, last Thursday, during which one man was killed.

Major Achmat Juri of the Bogor police declined to disclose the identities of the five men detained at Jakarta Police Headquarters, though all were residents of Warung Menteng and Caringin Maseng subdistricts here.

"The five young men are believed to be members of an Islamic organization, named Angkatan Mujahiddin Islam Nusantara (AMIN), which is suspected of organizing military exercises for its members," Juri said.

On Friday, police apprehended two AMIN members, identified as Ikhwan and Edi Rohadi, in the same subdistrict.

In one of the AMIN bases in Warung Menteng, police found walls for military training, an area to make bombs and some excavated land area, the latter's function of which was not clear, Juri said.

Police confirmed there were no shooting exercises carried out in the area.

The number of group members was estimated at 50 people. Members rarely stayed long in the one place and frequently moved from one area to another, Juri said, adding that many of the group's members came from Banten, Bogor and also Jakarta. (emf/24)