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.