Noordin's wife may be released

MALANG, East Java: Munfiatun, the wife of most-wanted terrorist Noordin M. Top, might be released on parole from the Sukun Women's Penitentiary in Malang, East Java, the prison warden said.

Warden Purwani said on Tuesday that a letter had been sent to the Bangil Prosecutor's Office to request that Munfiatun be released on parole.

Munfiatun was sentenced in 2004 to three years in prison for withholding information from the police that could have led to Noordin's capture.

Purwani said that Munfiatun had admitted to the crime and had been well behaved in prison, and therefore deserved to be released on parole.

"However, we have not received a reply," she said.

The police are still looking for Noordin, a Malaysian citizen held responsible for masterminding a series of bomb attacks in the country. Compatriot bombmaker Azahari bin Husin was killed on Nov. 9 in a police raid in East Java. -- JP