Malaysian linked to Jakarta blast: Paper
Malaysian linked to Jakarta blast: Paper
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Indonesian police have arrested a 26-year-
old Malaysian man over the bombing of two churches and a shopping
mall in Jakarta which left dozens injured, reports said Saturday.
The unidentified man had allegedly been waging a jihad in
Indonesia over the past year by joining attacks against
Christians in Ambon in the Maluku islands, The Star newspaper
said.
Malaysian police were quoted as confirming the arrest, and
said they were investigating if the man had links with the
"Malaysian Mujahideen Group", whose members were recently
detained under a tough security law.
The Star said Jakarta police detained the man after he was
injured, along with four others, in the August 1 bombing of the
Atrium mall in central Jakarta.
Hospital officials at the time identified the man, whose leg
was amputated, only as Dodi. They said he claimed to be a
resident of South Jakarta but did not specify his nationality.
Sources told the newspaper that the man, a graduate from
Malaysia's southern Johor state, traveled with 10 other
Malaysians -- all trained in guerrilla welfare -- to Ambon to
attack Christians.
He then teamed up with other militant groups in Jakarta and
according to local police, was allegedly responsible for the
Atrium blast.
The Malay-language Utusan Malaysia quoted sources as saying
the man was also involved in two bomb blasts at Christian
churches in Jakarta which injured 64 people.
Malaysian police earlier this month detained without trial 10
Islamic activists, including seven members of the opposition
Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), on suspicion of being part of an
Afghan-inspired militant group waging a jihad here.
The 10, detained under the Internal Security Act which allows
indefinite detention without trial, included the PAS spiritual
leader's son who is accused of being the ringleader.
Police in June detained nine members of the group allegedly
linked to a spate of crimes in Malaysia including robbery, the
murder of a politician and the bombings of a church and Indian
temple.