Police detain more suspects in Ambon blast

Police detain more suspects in Ambon blast

M. Azis Tunny and Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post/Ambon/Jakarta

The police have arrested two more suspects in connection with
Thursday's bomb blast at the Mardika Market in Ambon, and said
they are linked to terrorist group Mujahidin Ambon.

Lulu Kalderan alias Dulah and Sarmin Makeang alias Aden were
arrested early on Friday by a team of officers drawn from the
Ambon and Lease Islands Police and the Maluku Police's antiterror
units at Katapang village, West Seram regency, based on the
information given by Kasim Wali.

Believed to be the bomber, Kasim was arrested by the police
late on Thursday.

Police say the motive behind the bombing was likely to provoke
fresh violence at the market, which was set up to serve both
Christian and Muslim communities in Ambon after the signing of
the Malino peace agreement to end years of violence there.

The police also detained three other people who were together
with Lulu and Sarmin at the time of their arrests.

"The first two, Lulu and Sarmin, are most likely the main
perpetrators, while the other three were detained as they were
seen with Lulu and Sarmin in Katapang," Ambon and Lease Islands
Police chief Adj. Comr. Leonidas Braksan told The Jakarta Post.

The three -- identified as Ongen Rahayantel, Faisal Rahmat and
Salim Rumbia -- are still being questioned by police.

Leonidas said that Lulu was believed to have assembled the
bomb in Katapang village, while Sarmin delivered it to Kasim for
execution.

"On Thursday morning, Kasim left for Ambon after receiving Rp
30,000 (less than US$3) from Sarmin for transportation costs.
Later in the day, Kasim executed the plan at the market," he
said.

The police said the primitive bomb, which was packed in
cardboard boxes, was given by Kasim to a pedicab driver, Bal
Passal, to be carried to the market. It later exploded, injuring
Passal and nearby passersby.

The police reached the conclusion that the suspects were
connected to the Mujahidin group after they revealed that the
bomb had been assembled with the assistance of Arsyad, one of the
group's leaders and also a fugitive following a shooting incident
at a Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) base in Ambon.

The shooting killed five Brimob officers and two civilians.

Leonidas said police believed Arsyad had played a key role in
numerous terror attacks by the group in Maluku.

"In the group, Arsyad is known for his bomb-making expertise.
Based on information from Kasim, Arsyad was still in Seram two
days ago as he had met with Arsyad on Aug. 22," he said.

In Jakarta, National Police spokesman Insp. Aryanto
Boedihardjo said that all the suspects were farmers, and the real
target had actually been the Paso bus station near the Mardika
market.

The police are also still hunting for two more suspects -- W
and Syarif Tarabubun, a member of the Ambon and Lease Islands
Police Intelligence Unit -- who are believed to have be the
masterminds behind the bombing attempt.

"We will take anticipatory measures in the coming days because
we believe that the group still has plenty of materials with
which to make bombs. We will conduct sweeps and map out the areas
based on our intelligence data," said Leonidas.