Police receive info on terrorist suspect Hambali from U.S

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The United States has supplied information about terrorist suspect Riduan Isamuddin alias Hambali and his activities to the Indonesian authorities, the National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar says.

The information, according to Da'i, included several documents related to Hambali's activities.

"We have managed to get several documents and other evidence of Hambali's terrorist activities from the U.S.," Da'i said.

Da'i said the Indonesian authorities also received information about money Hambali had dispersed to finance a series of bomb attacks in the past few years.

Hambali, Asia's most wanted terrorist suspect, was arrested by Thai intelligence officers and the CIA in Thailand last week and is currently in U.S. custody at an undisclosed location.

Police investigators had named Hambali, who was born in West Java, a suspect in the deadly Bali bombings in October 2002 and the JW Marriot Hotel attack as well as a string of church bombings on Christmas Eve in 2000.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri personally called U.S. President George W. Bush at the weekend to ask for access to interrogate Hambali and to bring him back for trial in the country.

National Police Chief of Detectives Comr. Gen. Erwin Mappaseng said on Tuesday Hambali transferred US$45,000 to Malaysian Lili in June, who was then in Thailand, to finance a series of bombings in Indonesia.

Lili allegedly handed over the money to Idris, who was arrested in June and is still in police custody. "The police are still tracing the money," Erwin said.

Idris is one of 11 suspects in the JW Marriott Hotel bombing that occurred on Aug. 5 in Jakarta. He is said to have recruited Asmar Latin Sani and Tohir, who allegedly were the executors of the bombing.

Body parts identified as belonging to Asmar, who drove the van that exploded in the hotel's driveway, were found among the debris of the hotel.

"The most important thing is that we need access to interrogate Hambali, now we have managed to get this information we expect that we can question him," Da'i said.

The four-star general said police were preparing two or three high-ranking officials to interrogate Hambali as soon as they get permission from the U.S. authorities.

"We are asking for information and the opportunity to question him and finally bring Hambali back for trial," he said.

The Indonesian-born Hambali is believed to be the leader of regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) and is wanted by several countries in the Southeast Asia region.

The Philippines had formally asked Washington on Tuesday to provide access to question Hambali for his alleged involvement in deadly bomb attacks and plots in Manila and in the region.

Invoking a treaty on mutual legal assistance with Washington, Foreign Secretary Blas Ople asked in a letter to the U.S. Embassy in Manila to be granted access to Hambali and share any information he gives that could help the Philippines in its battle against terrorism.

"The Philippines and other countries should have the opportunity to mine the wealth of information that Hambali might be able to provide," Ople said in a statement as quoted by Associated Press.

Indonesian Ministry for Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa said on Tuesday that Indonesia was fully aware of the interests that many countries have in gaining access to Hambali.

"But we believe that most countries will agree that Indonesia has a particular interest in Hambali," Marty told The Jakarta Post.

Marty said Indonesia would ensure that these interests would not become a source of contention among Southeast Asian countries.

"All countries in the region share a common commitment in fighting terrorism, and we believe they will understand Indonesia's interest in Hambali," he said.