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| Southeast Asia |
| Martyrdom Squad Was Awaiting Jemaah Islamiah Orders |
| 2004-08-06 |
| Six Muslims arrested in Indonesia were members of a martyrdom squad awaiting attack orders from leaders of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) group, a top security official said yesterday. The men told their families in letters recovered by police that they intended to blow themselves up in attacks on unspecified targets, Mr Ansyaad Mbai, the top anti-terror official at the security ministry, said. 'They were awaiting orders from their bosses, Azahari Husin and Noordin Mohammed Top,' Mr Mbai said, referring to two wanted Malaysians who police say are JI leaders. The six suspects were arrested on June 30 at a house in Sukoharjo, about 400km east of Jakarta. They are being held on Bali island and are cooperating with the police. One of the six was identified as Mustaqim, a leading member of the JI group. According to the police, the men also played a role in the Oct 12, 2002, Bali bombings, which killed 202 people, and the Aug 5 attack last year on the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta that killed 12. Indonesian police have arrested scores of alleged JI members since the Bali bombings. But Azahari and Noordin escaped a police dragnet in West Java last year. The authorities have warned the two are armed with explosives and could be planning fresh attacks ahead of the final round of Indonesia's presidential elections on Sept 20. |
| Posted by:tipper |