Police find NII documents at bombers' homes

Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar

Police investigating the McDonald's restaurant bombing in Makassar have discovered documents outlining plans to declare an Islamic state at the suspects' homes.

The police, however, have yet to conclude that the bombers, allegedly led by Agung Abdul Hamid, had planned to declare the Indonesian Islamic State (NII).

"We have found documents on an Islamic state. Some of them were located at the home of suspect Muchtar Daeng Lau," Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani told the press here on Monday.

The documents consisted of a "structure of the Islamic state and some plans of action," Fiman added.

He said that the documents had been handed over to National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar so the police chief could track any possible links between the Makassar bomb blast with other bombing attacks in the country.

Meantime, an advocacy team for victims of anti-terrorism regulation (TAKPAR) suggested that the police should not be too quick to draw conclusions from their investigation.

"Those documents can be literature on Islam and it is common for people to have them," said Abraham Samad, coordinator of TAKPAR.

Firman also revealed that the police had further investigated confessions made by the arrested suspects, especially that of Suryadi, who said that at least 30 Indonesians had studied in the volatile province of Moro in the Philippines.

"We will continue to investigate as to whether this group is linked to the Islamic rebel group of Moro in the Philippines," he said.

The provincial police chief, however, did not elaborate on who and where were the 30 people.

Firman only said that three of the 16 suspects already named by the police had studied in Moro, and identified them as Muchtar Daeng Lau, Usman and Lukman.

He emphasized that the "Moro guys" had expertise in assembling bombs and knew how to use various types of firearms. "They exercise and study at their homes."

The provincial police chief also disclosed that the investigation team detained Asriadi, a police officer who is older brother to Ilham, another suspect in the McDonald's blast.

"Asriadi will be detained for 21 days to see if he is involved in the case in which his brother is a suspect. Asriadi is considered to have violated a disciplinary code because he left the office without permission," said Firman, adding that the investigation into Asriadi would be conducted by South Sulawesi's military police.

Asriadi was detained because he was with Ilham at their parents' house when Ilham was arrested.

Separately, relatives of Agung Abdul Hamid, the alleged principal planner of the bombing, urged him to surrender to the police.

Accompanied by activists from TAKPAR, Agung's sister Triani also called on all relatives who knew the whereabouts of Agung to report to the nearest police office. Triani added the appeal was made because Agung's family, especially his wife and children, was confused.

"If you are not guilty, God may protect you," she said.

Triani did not believe that her brother was the principal actor of the bomb blast in Makassar. She also denied police claims that Agung often went abroad, and hoped Agung would turn up and clear himself of these accusations.