Police deny reports on suicide bomber

JAKARTA: The National Police have denied reports that one of the three severed heads found after the recent Bali bombings had been identified as a resident of Majalengka regency in West Java.

Local newspapers had earlier reported that Majalengka residents recognized one of the suspected suicide bombers as Salik Firdaus, who had left his hometown to work as a trader in Boyolali, Central Java.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko said on Tuesday the reports were not true and that his office was still investigating the case but had not found any indication as yet that one of the severed heads belonged to Salik.

"We're still trying to find the identities of the bombers. We're also encouraging the public to report to the police if one of their family members have been missing for a long time," Soenarko said.

Salik reportedly used to be a clothing trader in the Cikijing traditional market near Majalengka. He was known as a graduate of the Darus Syahadah Islamic boarding school in Boyolali. --JP