Three more suspects arrested with links to Bali bombing

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

The police have arrested three people who allegedly aided and abetted Ali Imron, a main suspect in the Oct. 12 Bali blasts, and confiscated guns, bullets and explosive materials from the suspects.

Guided by a confession from Ali, the police seized dozens of guns and thousands of bullets during a raid on the three suspects' homes in the East Java regency of Lamongan on Tuesday.

The police seized six FN guns, four revolvers, six Magnum handguns, two other types of guns and more than 2,500 bullets of various calibers from cleric Syachri's residence in Taman Prijen village in Lamongan. Syachri teaches mathematics and physics at the nearby Al Islam Islamic boarding school.

Some of the ammunition was manufactured by state-owned company PT Pindad.

The police also found six bags of potassium chlorate, weighing a total of 25 kilograms. Some potassium chlorate already had been mixed with other chemicals.

The spokesman for the investigating team, Sr. Comr. Zainuri Lubis, said the police also seized books on Jamaah Islamiyah and international terrorism from Syachri's residence.

The police also arrested carpenter Hamim Buchori for the illegal possession of firearms and bullets. The suspect told officers he received the weapons from Ashari Dipokusumo.

"Ashari admitted that he received the guns from Ali Imron. His arrest also has something to do with his close ties with Ali Imron," Zainuri said, adding that the team was still searching for three of four guns belonging to Ali Imron.

Ali Imron, along with Hutomo Pamungkas, alias Mubarok, was arrested at a house on an island off Samarinda, East Kalimantan, on Monday. During questioning by the Samarinda Police, he told officers that the three people arrested on Tuesday in East Java were in possession of numerous weapons.

The Samarinda Police also arrested 11 other suspects in connection with the Bali blasts, which killed almost 200 people and injured more than 300 others.

Ali was arrested for the possession of weapons and for suspected involvement in the Bali blasts. Police believe he was also involved in a string of other bombings and is an accomplished bomb maker. Police hope Ali will shed light on the types of explosives used in the Bali bombings.

Hutomo, who is believed to be the treasurer for the alleged terrorist network behind the Bali blasts, is expected to reveal where the financing for the bombings came from.

The two main suspects, along with the 11 others who were arrested, will be transferred to Denpasar for further investigation.

Zainuri said the three suspects arrested on Tuesday could face jail sentences ranging from three years to 15 years for aiding terrorists.

Government regulation in lieu of Law No. 1/2000 on terrorism allows security authorities to arrest anybody who in any way aids or abets criminals.

"The two will be facing charges of harboring criminals because they reported nothing to the police about the two suspects' whereabouts," he said.