Police link Palopo blast to Makassar attacks
Police link Palopo blast to Makassar attacks
Andi Hajramurni, Makassar, South Sulawesi
South Sulawesi Police accused on Friday Agung Abdul Hamid, the
alleged mastermind behind the Dec. 5, 2002, blast that killed
three in Makassar, of playing a key role in the recent terror
attack in Palopo regency.
Agung is still at large and has been hunted by the police
since the bombing of a McDonald's outlet and a car dealership in
Makassar.
Provincial police spokesman Sr. Comr. Andi Nurman Thahir said
investigators had found evidence that Agung was an accomplice of
Jasmin, who has been named the prime suspect in the Palopo
explosion, which killed four people on Jan. 10.
The police's belief is based on the confession of another
suspect, Arman, to the effect that Agung and Jasmin, known as
Mister X, ate together at a seafood restaurant in Palopo a few
days after the Sampoddo Indah Cafe was bombed, Nurman added.
"The suspect (Arman) saw Agung, Idil (another suspect) and
Mister X eating at a restaurant in Palopo after the incident," he
said.
"Therefore, we strongly suspect that Agung was involved in the
bomb blast," he added.
Moreover, Nurman said, a forensic investigation showed that
the explosives used for the Makassar and Palopo blasts were
similar -- potassium chlorate, sulfur and aluminum.
He said the police had arrested only five of the 12 suspects
in the Palopo bombing. Those arrested are Arman, Ahmad Rizal
alias Ical, Jedi, Benardi and Idil alias Abdul Muis bin Ca'di.
The seven others being hunted are Agung Abdul Hamid, Munir,
Jasmin alias Jamir alias Yamin bin Kasau, Ishak, Nirwan alias
Iwan, Kahar alias Komar, and Aswandi.
The police have officially charged only two of the five
arrested men -- Arman and Idil -- with having roles in the terror
attack.
Arman, who was captured in North Kolaka regency, Southeast
Sulawesi, was believed to have known about the plan for the
bombing, while Idil, who was arrested in Bua village, Palopo, was
identified as the person who collected funds for the mission.
The two were charged under Articles 13 and 22 of Law No.
15/2003 on terrorism for concealing information on terrorist
activities, which carry the death penalty.
"We don't know the motive behind the incident," Nurman told
journalists in Makassar.
Police have blamed Jamaah Islamiyah for involvement in the
Makassar blast and the Bali bombings on Oct. 12, 2001, which
killed at least 202 people, many of whom were overseas tourists.