JSX bombing suspect converted Rp 350 million to U.S. dollars

JAKARTA (JP): Prior to executing the bombing at the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) building parking lot on Sept. 13, one of the two alleged masterminds withdrew Rp 350 million (US$39,000) cash from a Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) branch in Cilangkap, South Jakarta and converted them to U.S. dollars at a nearby Bank Central Asia (BCA).

The alleged mastermind and his three fellow accomplices then went to the JSX building in two cars, a Toyota Mark II sedan and a Suzuki Sidekick jeep.

Irwan, who was driving the Toyota sedan, parked the car -- already planted with the powerful bomb -- at the parking lot and left to join his friends in the jeep.

The four, including the alleged mastermind Tengku Ismuhadi, Ibrahim Hasan and Ibrahim A. Manaf, then drove to the nearby Plaza Senayan shopping center.

Several minutes later they drove to the JSX building to see if their mission had been accomplished.

Some of them, including Ismuhadi, even got off the car and joined the crowd to watch the police, rescue workers and the press.

Later in the evening, the four along with the other suspects gathered at their friend's house in Condet, East Jakarta to watch TV reports of the blast.

These facts came to light on Saturday during the reenactment of the devastating blast at the parking lot of JSX that killed at least 11 people, mostly drivers, injured dozens and destroyed some 200 cars.

Jakarta Police criminal investigation chief Sr. Supt. Harry Montolalu, who led the reenactment, said Ismuhadi, a businessman, withdrew the cash from his own account to exchange it for greenbacks in the hope that he could profit the following day when the rupiah nose-dives.

"He was sure the bomb attack would make the U.S currency stronger against rupiah," Harry said.

According to the officer, the reenactment, the first since the incident, brought no significant changes to the investigation already being carried out by the police.

"Their main motive was to create instability in the capital," Harry said.

Harry had repeatedly said before that the group belonged to a "most-wanted" network which was allegedly involved in the bomb blasts across the country.

Harry did not elaborate on the progress made by his men on this network.

Saturday's reenactment started from the Krung Baro auto repair shop on Jl. Warung Silah No. 99 in Ciganjur, South Jakarta. the repair shop is owned by Ismuhadi.

Four other people, including three police officers and a suspect, Nuryadin, were asked to act as the group's other members who assisted in preparing the bomb at the auto shop.

The three officers played the roles of three suspects who are still at large, one of whom is believed to be the other mastermind.

Police have so far been giving conflicting information on the number of the suspects in the blast. Some officers have said there were 30 suspects while other officers insisted there were only 27 suspects comprising the three who are still at large, 19 who have been temporarily released and another five currently under police detention.

According to Harry, the reenactment was important for the police "to get the real picture" and to assure the general public that the police had not plotted the arrests of the suspects.

"We also wanted the suspects' statements to be heard as many have said that we had engineered the arrests," the officer added.

The auto repair shop, some 200 meters from President Abdurrahman Wahid's residence, was heavily guarded by mobile brigade police personnel from the city police. It therefore drew attention from neighboring residents.

Ibrahim Manaf was in crutches as he had been shot in his right ankle during his arrest.

The bomb was installed in the car by Nuryadin, a worker at the repair shop, before the four left for the JSX building on that fateful Wednesday afternoon.

At the JSX building, Irwan was asked to demonstrate how he parked the sedan at the parking lot.

Shortly after the reenactment, Ismuhadi rejected police accusations that he was behind the bombing.

Ismuhadi said there were several men who had come up with the idea of the bombing during a gathering in the workshop.

"I can't really say who was the mastermind since none of us seemed dominating (during the conversation)," Ismuhadi told SCTV television station.

"If you were me, you wouldn't have been able to stop them either," Ismuhadi said without elaborating. (jaw)