New Azahari recruits from NII: Police
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.