Key bomb suspect abroad: Police
JAKARTA (JP): A prime suspect in the Christmas Eve bomb attacks who is at large is strongly suspected to have fled to Saudi Arabia, a top police official said.
National Police chief of detectives Insp. Gen. Engkesman Hillep said on Tuesday that National Police detectives had spent weeks working with the Malaysian Police, hunting for the suspect, identified only as Hambali.
"Our detectives returned from Malaysia late last week, with news that Hambali is strongly suspected to be in Saudi Arabia. Sources claim that Hambali could have gone there for his Haj Pilgrimage," Engkesman told reporters after a meeting with legislators from House Commission I of Security, Defense and Foreign Affairs, on security concerns and police affairs.
"Hambali's a key suspect, because police have testimonies from other suspects that he funded some of the bomb attacks."
A total of 19 people were killed in the bomb attacks which hit several major cities nationwide on Christmas Eve.
"Both Malaysian Police and Indonesian Police have yet to determine if Hambali is an Indonesian or Malaysian citizen. What we know is that his contacts in Jakarta were suspects originally based in Garut and Bandung, West Java," Engkesman said.
Engkesman was referring to four of the 22 bombers captured over the bombings, namely Haji Aceng Suhari, Iqbal, Roni Miliar and Agus Kurniawan of West Java.
He denied that police had any clues which could lead to the Army's involvement in the bomb attacks.
"I have not received any such police report which mentions the involvement of the Army in the bomb attacks," Engkesman said.
Police earlier arrested eight suspects in connection with the Christmas Eve bomb attacks, but reiterated the absence of clues that could lead to the Army's involvement.
Elize
At the Tuesday meeting with Commission I, National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro also spoke of suspect Elize Maria Tuwahatu, who has repeatedly confused Jakarta Police detectives with her attempts to deny several things she had earlier told questioning officers.
Elize, who was arrested for possession of three bombs at the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah recreation park in East Jakarta on Jan. 19, had earlier made headline news when she told police that it was Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra who gave her the bombs.
"Elize is trying to play with the police, via her lawyer M. Bugis. In any case, she has already signed her dossiers, in which she has stated that it was Tommy who gave her the bombs," Suroyo told the House Commission.
"The police are still trying to find material evidence which will back up her statement to the police that it was Tommy who gave her the bombs, but that will take time." (ylt)