S. Sulawesi Police uncover terrorist training camps

S. Sulawesi Police uncover terrorist training camps

Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar

Police on Monday said they found military style camps north of
the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar that they believed
belonged to the group of Agung Abdul Hamid, the alleged
mastermind of the Makassar bombing that killed three people last
month.

Adding suspicion of foreign involvement in the series of bomb
attacks against the nation, police said the camp instructors had
likely come from the Philippines and Afghanistan.

The finding was confirmed by one of the 18 arrested bomb
suspects, Muhtar Daeng Lau, who told police that he and others
received military style training at those camps, South Sulawesi
Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Achmad Abdi said.

"It's correct, the group that carried out the Makassar
bombings does have ... military style training camps in several
areas."

Police believe the group led by Agung Hamid was responsible
for the Dec. 3 bomb blast at a McDonald's outlet and the NV Hadji
Kalla automobile showroom in Makassar.

Members of the shadowy group are alleged to have links to
members of the group who carried out the deadly Bali bomb attacks
in Bali on Oct. 12.

The bombing killed three people, including one of the bombers,
Ashar Daeng Salem. So far 18 suspects have been detained in
connection with the blast. However, Agung remains at large.

Achmad said some of the training camps were found in the
regencies of Enrekang and Luwu, located between 300 kilometers to
500 km north of Makassar. Police found another camp about 250 km
south of Makassar.

The camps were located deep in the forests, far from any homes
and Achmad did not rule out the possibility of more camps
elsewhere in the vast, thinly populated province.

Instructors were brought in from Moro in the Southern
Philippines and Afghanistan, based on information and statements
from the suspects, he said.

"This is supported by the fact that several of the arrested
suspects like Usma, Muhtar Daeng Lau, Suryadi admitted to having
received military training and have joined battles in Moro ...
and Afghanistan."

The presence of foreign trainers adds to suspicions that the
series of terrorist attacks, including the Bali attack, involved
outside elements.

The investigation of the Bali attack, which killed more than
190 people, has so far uncovered a mainly local network of
alleged terrorists.

The strongest indication of foreign involvement are the two
Malaysian suspects the police named last month. Police are still
hunting them.