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.