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.