Suspect says he learned to make bombs in Afghanistan

JAKARTA (JP): A senior police detective revealed on Friday that one of four suspects in the Christmas Eve bombing case has confessed to having received explosives training in Afghanistan.

"Dedi Mulyadi, a 31-year-old suspect from Pangandaran, West Java, has told police that he and his dead colleague, Yoyo, had both received military training in the making of bombs in an Afghan militia camp," National Police chief of detectives Insp. Gen. Engkesman Hillep said on Friday.

Engkesman confirmed that the death toll from the bombings stands at 18.

Dedi was driving a motorbike on Christmas Eve heading for one of five destinations, including churches and a discotheque, which he and his friend Yoyo intended to blow up.

"His motorcycle lurched, which activated the time bomb his friend Yoyo was carrying. Yoyo died. He (Dedi) lived," Engkesman told reporters at the National Police Headquarters.

"Dedi has said that, like him, Yoyo and Holis, another suspect who remains at large, were members of the militia group from 1990 to 1992."

Doubting the statements Dedi gave to his detectives, West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Yuyun Mulyana has asked Interpol to confirm their validity.

"Dedi has claimed to detectives that he received military training in Afghanistan, as well as the other fugitive in this case 31-year-old Holis, alias Udin," Mulyana told reporters in Bandung, West Java, after a briefing with the provincial council on the bombing case.

Dedi was transferred to Sartika Asih Police Hospital in Bandung, from his previous detention cell at Ciamis Police Precinct, after suffering burns from the bomb explosion.

Dedi, along with two others suspected of responsibility for the explosion in a welding shop on Jl. Terusan Jakarta in Bandung -- Roni Miliar and Agus Kurniawan --, is currently being treated at the police hospital.

Police have found documents and other incriminating papers in a house used by the Bandung suspects, Engkesman said.

"The documents, among other things, contain telephone numbers. Eleven numbers are from Malaysia, two from Australia and there are others from Yogyakarta, Bandung, Jakarta, Aceh and Medan," Engkesman said.

West Java Police sources have revealed that the single group behind the Christmas Eve bombings had established links with underground movements in other countries, such as Malaysia.

While stating that four suspects were already in police custody and another 19 witnesses were potential suspects, Engkesman identified three other suspects whose whereabouts are unknown as: Haji Aceng Suhari, 56; Iqbal, alias Aceng Idin, alias Iyep, 43; and Holis.

Engkesman added that the police have asked the Directorate- general of Immigration to issue travel bans on the three fugitives.

Although Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto has claimed that no Army members were involved in the bombings, a list containing details of the three fugitives identifies Aceng Suhari as a retired employee of state-owned weapons manufacturer PT Pindad, which is under the supervision of Army headquarters.

The lists, issued and signed by Adjutant to High Comr. Edward Syah Pernong, have also identified Aceng Suhari's last address as Jl. Atlas Dalam No. 11 RT3/RW13, in the Babakan Surabaya subdistrict of Antapani Kiaracondong in Bandung.

An address where he was also last seen is Jl. Terusan Jakarta No. 45 in Antapani, Bandung, West Java.

The list identifies Iqbal as an Ustad (Muslim teacher), whose last address was in Cidahu, Singajaya, Garut. The last address of Holis, a Sundanese, was in Cikoneng Ciamis, and in the Panyingkiran Cikalong village in Tasikmalaya.

The facts revealed in the media conference held by the National Police headquarters, however, showed that the National Police and the West Java Police had established limited joint coordination over the handling of the case.

This was evidenced when National Police deputy chief of detectives Brig. Gen. Sudirman Ail stated that Bandung Police have suspected a man, identified as Musa, as being involved in the bombings.

Ail's statement was contradictory to actions of the West Java Police, who on Thursday night released two key witnesses, namely Syekh Musa and Umar, who were taken into custody on Thursday at approximately 6 p.m. in Sukabumi, about 50 kilometers away from Bandung.

"We found no links between them and the Bandung (bombing) group. Musa, who is a traditional healer, said that members of the group once asked him for treatment, but it was quite a long time ago. So, we returned them to their homes," West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Yuyun Mulyana said.

The detectives also returned two pistols and five bullets, as well as an axe and a sickle, found after a search at a foundation office belonging to Musa in the Warungkondang area in Cianjur.

Musa and Umar, however, still remain witnesses in the case and must report to Police in Sukabumi twice a week. (ylt/25/edt)