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.