Two Bali bombing suspects mislead police
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali
Two key suspects in the Bali bombing gave investigators "false statements", police said on Wednesday after finding new evidence contradicting the suspects' statements.
The new discoveries include a rented house in Denpasar where suspects allegedly built the bombs used in the attacks, and the route on which they carried the explosive materials from Surabaya, East Java, to Bali.
This new information followed the interrogation of another bombing suspect, Ali Imron, who police arrested last week, said the police spokesman for the team investigating the bombings, Sr. Comr. Zainuri Lubis.
He said Ali's statement contradicted those made by Amrozi and Abdul Azis, alias Imam Samudra. Both men are key suspects in the Oct. 12 Bali bombings, in which more than 190 people, mainly foreign tourists, were killed.
The two suspects will need to be requestioned, Zainuri said, which likely will cause a delay in turning over Amrozi's dossiers to prosecutors for his trial.
"We have to do this because Imam Samudra and Amrozi are withholding a lot of information. We found out many things after we captured Ali Imron," he said.
He said Ali's confession had led police to a rented house in Denpasar where the suspects allegedly built the bombs.
Police found chemical residue inside the house but still have not identified the exact chemicals.
Confirming Ali's statement that the suspects had tested the explosives they used in the bombs, neighbors told police they had heard a loud noise coming from the direction of the house.
Ali said they had told the neighbors the noise was caused by an electricity problem at the house.
The house in which the suspects allegedly built the bombs is located on Jl. Pulau Menjangan, about 200 meters from Sanglah Hospital where hundreds of victims were treated after the blasts.
Neither Samudra nor Amrozi mentioned anything about the rented house, Zainuri said.
He said the two also misled police about the route they used to bring the explosive materials to Bali.
"According to Ali Imron, the chemicals were transported by sea using the Ketapang-Gilimanuk ferry service.
"While Imam Samudra claimed the materials were delivered via post," Zainuri said.
He did not say whether police had confirmed Ali's version.
The contradicting statements could cast doubt over the police previous findings, much of which relies on suspects' confessions.
So far police have arrested at least 30 suspects in the bombings, five of whom, including Amrozi and Samudra, are prime suspects.
But as new questions emerge over the statements of some of the suspects, the police might have to delay bringing the case to court. This could delay the start of the Bali bombing trial, which was to begin next month with the trial of Amrozi.
Zainuri said the police planned to submit Amrozi's dossier to state prosecutors next week or Friday of this week at the earliest.