Marriott attack planners still on run
Evi Mariani and Urip Hudiono, Jakarta
"We have searched every possible location. My antiterror detectives have spent almost no time at home. We have also spent a large amount of money on the search," the antiterror director at the National Police, Brig. Gen. Pranowo, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Still, the alleged masterminds of the Marriott hotel bombing in Jakarta, which took place exactly a year ago, Malaysian citizens Dr. Azahari and Noordin M. Top, are still at large.
The lunchtime explosion at the hotel killed 12 people, mostly taxi drivers, and injured 147 others.
After a year of hunting down those responsible for the attack, the police have arrested at least 16 people, of whom 12 have been tried and convicted.
"We suspect both Azahari and Noordin are still actively recruiting new members to their network. We suspect these new recruits are ready to take action.
"We have observed their patterns and found that they usually take action once every six months. So, I warn the public to be alert," Pranowo said.
He also criticized last month's Constitutional Court ruling throwing out the retroactive use of the new terror law. "I feel all our serious work has been shattered."
Twelve of the 16 Marriott suspects were convicted, while three others are still on trial. Another suspect is being investigated by the North Sumatra Police.
One of the three defendants now on trial, Ismail, alias Ikhwan, testified that the Marriott bombing was coordinated by Azahari and Noordin. According to the defendant, the group also wanted to hit the Citibank building in Pondok Indah and the Australian International School in South Jakarta.
Pranowo said Ismail and Tohir, who is also on trial, played a major role in the attack by helping to construct the bomb.
"The remaining suspects were those who knew about the planned bombing but keep the information to themselves," he said.
"Another suspect, Toni Togar, is in police custody in Medan for robbery," he said. "We suspect he is a member of the network and committed the robberies to finance the network's activities."
Asked about nine people who were recently detained on suspicion of belonging to the terror network responsible for the bombing, Pranowo would divulge little information. "We are still developing information on them. I cannot confirm anything about them."
Over the last three months, the police have arrested 10 suspects related to Azahari's terror network. They arrested Dahlan in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, in June for his alleged involvement in the Marriott bombing.
Another five suspects were apprehended last month in Sukoharjo, Central Java, on similar charges and are currently being detained in Bali.
The latest arrests took place in Surakarta, Central Java, where three suspects were taken into custody. However, the police have yet to identify the suspects or their alleged roles in the terror network.
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List of Marriott bombing convicts:
Defendant Sentence Court ----------------------------------------------------------- Sardona Siliwangi 10 years Bengkulu Muhammad Rais, alias Edi Indra 7 years S. Jakarta Slamet Widodo, alias Pepeng 3 years S. Jakarta Lutfi Fadilah, alias Zubair 3 years S. Jakarta Malikul Zurkoni 3 years S. Jakarta Suprapto 3 years S. Jakarta Mohammad Solihin 3 years S. Jakarta Heru Setyanto 3 years S. Jakarta Samhuri 3 years S. Jakarta Samsul Bahri, alias Farhan 3 years S. Jakarta Datok Rajo Ameh 3 years Pekanbaru Purwadi 3 years Pekanbaru
Lists of defendants standing trial: Ismail, alias Ikhwan Tohir, alias Masrizal, alias Ali Umar, alias Mas'ud Joni Hendrawan, alias Idris, alias Mohammad Ikhsan (prosecutors have demanded a 10-year sentence)
List of detained suspect: Toni Togar, being questioned by the North Sumatra Police
List of suspects still at large: Dr. Azahari Noordin M. Top