JP1/1/TERROR

JP1/1/TERROR

Azahari's disciples still on the loose: Police chief

The Jakarta Post
Malang/Majalengka/Bandung/Jakarta

Police chief Gen. Sutanto warned people on Wednesday to remain
vigilant as disciples of master bombmaker Azahari bin Husin were
still on the loose.

Azahari, who was killed in a police raid last week, had
trained several followers, many of whom had not been caught,
which worries police investigators, Sutanto said in Jakarta.

"His cohorts have already learned to make bombs, although not
at a level of sophistication as Azahari," explained Sutanto, as
quoted by Agence France Presse.

He said the police had found a video showing Azahari teaching
a group of people bombmaking skills.

Separately, Sutanto's aide Insp. Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika
commented that the master bombmaker had trained at least 40
suicide bombers to carry out a series of terror attacks around
Christmas time.

The number of bombers was based on police findings after the
raid on Azahari's rented house in the quiet town of Batu, East
Java. The police discovered dozens of explosive devices at the
house, Pastika said.

"We have to always be on alert as these people are ready to
die," said Pastika, the chief of the Bali Police, who was
involved in the probe of the 2002 Kuta nightclub attacks, which
killed over 200 people. Azahari's group -- as part of the Jamaah
Islamiyah terror network -- have been blamed for that and a
number of other high-profile terror attacks in the country.

The most recent terror act attributed to his group was the
triple suicide bombing in Bali six weeks ago. That attack, at
three separate restaurants, killed 23 people.

Meanwhile, police officers continued the manhunt on Monday for
Azahari's key accomplice Noordin Mohd. Top and other suspected
terrorists.

The Police antiterror squad, helped by local police units,
tracked down members of the Azahari cells to the regencies of
Trenggalek and Nganjuk in East Java, while in Malang, police
worked with local government officials in scouring residential
areas near Azahari's rented house. In addition to the manhunt,
top police officers in East Java have also warned all police
officers in the area to remain on high alert.

Officers are also still looking for weapons caches after a tip
by a former colleague of Azahari's -- Nurkosim.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko said in Jakarta
the police were still questioning Nurkosim, who is believed to
have worked with Azahari, but has been in prison in Madiun, East
Java since 2000 on charges of financial fraud.

Separately in Bandung, deputy chief of the National Police
Comr. Gen. Adang Darajatun called on the public to revive an old
security rule, which obliges anybody entering a community to
report to the neighborhood unit head if he or she stays in
respective neighborhood for over 24 hours.

"Indonesia is vast and the police need people to help locate
the terrorists," said Adang.

Meanwhile in Majalengka, West Java, relatives of alleged
terrorist Muhammad Salik agreed to allow the government to keep
Salik's body if would aid their investigation. Salik was believed
to be one of the three Oct. 1 Bali suicide bombers.

The family's lawyer, Emi Klanawidjaja, said they would not
demand that the government return Salik's remains.