Police arrest wrong suspect

SURABAYA: Police in East Java said they had arrested a man thought to have been Malaysian fugitive Azahari bin Husin, a key terrorist suspect, but later released him on Tuesday.

East Java Police spokesman Comr. Endro Wardoyo said the suspect, identified by only his initial "S", a man from North Sumatra, told residents of Dander village in Bojonegoro regency that his name was Rohman bin Azahari.

The villagers became suspicious as the man talked a lot about bombing cases across Indonesia.

"At present, the man has been released after being interrogated. He has no relation with Azahari or other suspects involved in terror attacks in the country," Endro said.

The police were improving security operations in the province, he said.

Azahari along with his Malaysian accomplice Mohd. Noordin Top is believed to be a key member of the Jamaah Islamiyah group widely blamed for a series of attacks in the country, including 2002's Bali bombings and the attacks on the JW Marriott Hotel and Australian Embassy in 2003 and 2004. --JP