Police discover additional evidence linking Bali and Makassar bombers
Police discover additional evidence linking Bali and Makassar bombers
Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi
Suryadi, one of 16 suspects in the Makassar bombing in South
Sulawesi earlier this month, was among the accomplices of Imam
Samudra, the alleged mastermind of the Bali bombing, police said
here on Thursday.
"Suryadi has told investigators that he is a friend of Imam
Samudra," South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani told
a news conference in Makassar.
Police have linked the Makassar blasts at a McDonald's outlet
and a car dealership with the devastating Bali bombing that
killed over 190 people, mostly foreigners, on Oct. 12.
Firman said Suryadi was charged with providing funds for the
Makassar bombers led by Agung Abdul Hamid, the alleged mastermind
of the McDonald's explosion on Dec. 5, which killed three people
and injured 11 others.
Suryadi had long established "active communication" with
Samudra, the South Sulawesi Police chief said.
"He is a key witness to the relations between Agung Hamid and
Imam Samudra because he is the suspect who had contact with Imam
Samudra," Firman added.
He said the police were developing the investigation to
uncover the link between the Makassar and Bali bombers.
Firman said Suryadi was arrested on Nov. 13, in the North
Sulawesi capital of Manado on charges of robbing a local money
changer. However, his wife denies that he was caught robbing the
money changer.
The suspect was taken to the National Police Headquarters in
Jakarta for further interrogation after he told investigators in
Manado that he was in the city to find a bombing location at the
order of Samudra.
Suryadi was later flown to Makassar after admitting to the
police in Jakarta that he had knowledge of Agung Hamid and his
accomplices.
Suryadi is being held at the South Sulawesi Police
Headquarters along with at least 12 other suspects. The remaining
four -- Agung, Hisbullah Rasyid, Mirzal and Dahlan -- are still
at large.
Firman said the police were also searching for the sources of
bomb-making materials, including potassium, used for the Makassar
blasts.
He said another key suspect, Muchtar Daeng Lau, admitted that
he bought a great amount of potassium in Makassar, but refused to
give the address of the place at which he bought it.
"So we believe he obtained potassium from outside Makassar,"
Firman added.
He also said the police had determined that Suryadi and at
least four other suspects -- Ilham, Muchtar, Usman and Hisbullah
-- had undergone military training in the Philippines.
Police previously claimed that Agung, Muchtar and Ilham had
been trained on assembling bombs in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the Makassar District Court heard a case involving
another suspect, Masnur, on Thursday.
His wife, Naida, filed suit against the South Sulawesi Police
for the wrongful arrest of her husband and demanded that he be
released.
The South Sulawesi Police attended the hearing, during which
the plaintiff was accompanied by eight lawyers led by Abdul Azis
Malla. Presiding judge Karel Tuppu adjourned the trial until
Friday.
Masnur was arrested on Dec. 11, six days after the Makassar
blasts. He admitted that the bomb was assembled at his metal
workshop, where the police found explosives including 250
kilograms of TNT.
Asked to respond to the lawsuit, Firman said the police were
unmoved by it and would continue to investigate all the suspects.
"It's normal. It's the right of people to submit any
objection. The police will definitely continue their work, this
will not affect us," he said.