Warning issued on terrorist kidnap plot

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After randomly killing innocent people in their attacks over the past three years, terrorists operating in the country are now out to abduct ministers, government bureaucrats and foreign diplomats, a top intelligence official says.

National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Syamsir Siregar warned on Tuesday that the new tactic could be put into action over Christmas and the New Year.

"BIN has received credible reports to the effect that there will be a change in the targets of the operations conducted by the terrorist group -- from blowing up public places during Christmas and New Year to coordinated operations to kidnap influential people," Syamsir said after a meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The intelligence authorities believe that new recruits of master bomb maker Azahari bin Husin, who died in early November during a security forces raid, and his Malaysian compatriot Noordin M. Top, remain a potential threat to the country's security.

Syamsir added that the terrorists had decided to abduct prominent figures instead of launching new strikes after the government beefed up security across the country ahead of the holidays.

The terrorists would target figures who have access to policy making, including ministers, bureaucrats and foreign diplomats. But Syamsir refused to identify which figures the terror group was aiming at.

Syamsir, a retired two-star Army general, requested that the public and the authorities stay on alert over the next couple of months to prevent possible abductions or attacks.

"We are optimistic, however, that we can neutralize the threats and arrest the remaining followers of Azahari. Their movements have been limited following the various operations launched by the security authorities," he said.

Azahari and Noordin, top operatives of the al-Qaeda-linked Jamaah Islamiyah organization, are allegedly responsible for various bomb outrages in the country since 2002. The latest bombings shook Bali on Oct. 1, killing 23 people, including three suicide bombers.

Suspected members of JI have also been accused of detonating bombs at 11 churches across the country on Christmas Eve 2000, killing 19 people.

Azahari was killed during a raid in Batu, Malang, West Java, last month. The police antiterror squad is still hunting Noordin after he managed to evade arrest.

A document found during a raid on one of Noordin's hideouts said the terrorist group planned to launch bomb attacks on several places in Jakarta.