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.