New suspect named in Tentena blasts

New suspect named in Tentena blasts

Ruslan Sangadji and Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Poso/Jakarta

The police have named another suspect in connection with the
deadly bombings in the Christian town of Tentena, Central
Sulawesi, as an intelligence analysis has revealed that the
perpetrators are graduates of a military-style training camp in
Mindanao in the Philippines.

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Monday that
Abu Hamas, a detainee, had been named a suspect, bringing the
total suspects to 18 after police questioned at least 90 people.

However, Da'i fell short of providing further data about Abu,
only saying that the police had discovered the residue of
materials used to make bombs on his body.

"This is results of forensic tests. But Abu has denied any
involvement, and we're still trying to match the information we
have collected so far," he said during a hearing with House of
Representatives Commission III on security and legal affairs.

Other main suspects in the bombings are former government
official Abdul Kadir, who is implicated in a corruption case, and
Hasman, the former warden of the Poso prison where Abdul was
detained.

The police are also still searching for two fugitives,
identified as Erwin and Atuk, who are believed to be the ones who
set off the bombs.

A source at the Central Sulawesi Police said the group of
perpetrators had entered Indonesia from the Philippines through
the Miangas island before heading to Manado, North Sulawesi, and
eventually entering Poso and Palu.

Several members of the group also went to Ambon, Maluku, and
Mamasa, Central Sulawesi.

However, police have yet to identify the real motive behind
the incident, whether it was related to attempts to divert
attention from a corruption case involving Abdul Kadir, or an act
of a specific terrorist group.

With the Tentena bombings, combined with the recent warnings
from foreign countries about imminent attacks on hotels here,
Da'i said security was being beefed up across the country.

"We're sensing intensifying communication between accomplices
of Azahari and Noordin Top, which we consider as an attempt to
launch new attacks," he said, referring to the two most wanted
suspects in the numerous bomb attacks in the country over the
past few years.

Da'i said the two were likely hiding in Java, most probably on
the outskirts of Jakarta, but did not elaborate.

He also said security was being intensified not only in
hotels, but also at all public places.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said security had
been reinforced at 11 embassies, including the French, Canadian,
German and United States embassies. Five luxury hotels, namely
the JW Marriott, Shangri-La, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and the
Hilton, had also had police security strengthened, he said.

Gani said other hotels had been asked to take their own
measures to tighten security.