Marriott attack planners still on run
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