New Azahari recruits from NII: Police
Abdul Khalik and Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bandung
Most members of West Java terror group responsible for the Sept. 9 bombing outside the Australian Embassy were former members of the Indonesian Islamic State (NII) clandestine organization, the police said on Monday.
National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said unlike their East Java counterparts who were mostly known to the police, the West Java group were newly recruited by Malaysian fugitives Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Moh. Top.
"It's a warning for us the pair (Azahari and Noordin) are capable of recruiting new members from any group and can also continue to entice young people to become their followers," Da'i said in his visit to Bandung.
Azahari and Noordin are allegedly involved in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, the 2003 JW Marriott Hotel attack in Jakarta that claimed 12 lives and last month's suicide bombing which left 10 people dead.
The two have reportedly recruited several new suicide bombers, including Hassan, Jabir, Rois, and Heri Golun who carried out last month's bomb attack.
The NII is believed to have grown out of the Darul Islam (DI) separatist group, which fought for an Islamic state in 1950s but was suppressed by the military in the early 1960s.
Darul Islam members reportedly resumed their activities in the early 1980s when they recruited high school and college students throughout the country.
Police have previously said several suspects in their custody had admitted they were members of NII's Banten and West Java branches.
Da'i said the discovery of explosives last week in Cicurug village, Cianjur regency, indicated the West Java group was still active in assembling bombs that could be used to launch attacks.
He warned of the possibility the group was planning a terror attack during the inauguration of new president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday.
A small explosion went off at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday at a rented house in Cicurug village, about 80 kilometers southwest of Jakarta. One of the four men in the house was reportedly injured. The four tenants of the house, one of them identified as "Hassan" who is wanted for his role in the Sept. 9 blast, remain at large.
Police also seized two backpacks of high explosive TNT from the house.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman said a forensic examination was being conducted on metal parts, plastic remains, 48 iron nails, a red cable, brown explosive residue, and dry blood.
"We are still conducting DNA tests on the blood to confirm the identities of the four men," Paiman said.