Fugitive terrorist may attack 6 months after Marriott blast

Tiarma Siboro and Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Thursday that fugitive Malaysian terror suspect Dr. Azahari bin Husin was planning an attack in early February to mark the six-month anniversary of the JW Marriott hotel bombing in Jakarta.

According to Da'i, handwritten notes found in a rented room that had been used by Azahari in Bandung, West Java, showed he was plotting a new bombing. A confession from other detained militants, Ismail and Tohir, confirmed those plans, he said.

Nevertheless, he said that possible targets were not known until "we are able to arrest the fugitive."

Azahari, together with Noordin Mohammad Top, is allegedly a leader and bombmaker for Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), the al-Qaida- linked terror group blamed for last year's Bali bombings, which killed 202 people, and the Aug. 5 Marriott blast that killed 12 and injured 150 others.

Both Azhari and Noordin narrowly escaped a police raid on their rented house in Bandung on Oct. 29. Police believe that the fugitives carried only a small amount of explosives with them that could be used to commit suicide if they were in danger of arrest. The police added that, at worst, they could only endanger people in close proximity to them.

"The confession of Tohir (shows) that six months after the attack on the JW Marriott hotel, (Azahari) will launch another (attack)," Bachtiar said after holding a meeting at the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs.

Tohir and Ismail were arrested last month in Cirebon, West Java. They are accused of helping plan the Marriott blast.

National Police chief of detectives Erwin Mappaseng said on Thursday that several locations had become targets in terrorist plans.

"Yes, there are notes showing places that are targeted by the terrorists but we cannot specify the places, to avoid causing panic among the public," said Erwin.

He added that police had anticipated the attacks by tightening security at the places mentioned in the notes.

On Wednesday, a one-star general familiar with the terrorist investigation told The Jakarta Post that the terrorist would attack at least 12 buildings.

Among the targets mentioned were Citibank Landmark at Setiabudi, South Jakarta, Citibank Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, the Caltex office, West Jakarta, residences of expatriates, Hero shopping center and Kem Chicks, all in Kemang, South Jakarta, JW Marriott Hotel, South Jakarta, and internationals schools, including Jakarta International School and the Australian International school.

Erwin refused to confirm the report and would only say that the terrorist would prioritize U.S. interests in Indonesia.

"Their prime targets will be American interests -- not to expel foreigners from Indonesia but to make people panic," he said.

Erwin denied claims that the terrorists have been able to enter Jakarta and that police have already been able to locate them.

"No, they are not in Jakarta and if we knew their whereabouts we would simply arrest them," he said.

Da'i said earlier that the police had managed to identify the hideouts of both Azahari and Noordin. He said that it was just a matter of time before the two fugitives were captured.