Terror group may be linked to JI

JAKARTA: National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Monday that a local terror group believed to have been involved in a bomb blast on Jan. 8 in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, was linked to regional terror group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a hearing with the House of Representatives' human rights and security commission, Da'i said that the police had found documents linking the group to JI,

"The explosion took place in the house where the suspects lived ... and we've found several documents linking them to JI," Da'i said.

Da'i explained that the documents also contained details of their activities, information on how to make bombs and the group's rules.

However, Da'i refused to confirm whether Suyono alias Sugiyono, who was captured at the scene of the blast, had close ties with alleged top international terrorists Noordin Mohd. Top and Azahari.

The police detained two men in connection with the blast, while other suspects are still at large. -- JP