Guess who?: On Wednesday, National Police spokesman Nanan Soekarna shows journalists a photograph of (the late) Ibrohim, the man shot dead by the counterterror squad during a raid of a terrorist hideout in Temanggung, Central Java, on Aug. 8. The body was initially suspected to have been that of terror leader Noordin M. Top.
Police officially confirmed Wednesday that Noordin M. Top, the nation's most wanted terrorist, was still alive and kicking, highlighting that the threat of bombing attacks from Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) could escalate, with Noordin still leading the group and dozens of new recruits across Java available
to help him.
A DNA test conducted by the police revealed the man shot dead in Temanggung, Central Java, last Saturday was Ibrohim, a florist at both JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta, and is suspected to be the inside man on the suicide bombings at then two luxury hotels last month.
National police spokesman Nanan Soekarna said the police believed Noordin was still in Indonesia and expected him to keep on trying to launch attacks.
“The assumption is that he will keep on doing so.”
Noordin, who formed a violent wing of the JI militant network, is believed to have planned last month’s near-simultaneous attack on the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels, which killed nine people and wounded 53.
He is blamed for several attacks, including the JW Marriott in Jakarta in 2003, the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in 2004 and Bali in 2005.
Later on Wednesday, North Bogor Police raided a house in Cimahpar subdistrict following a tip-off from locals. They found chemical substances allegedly needed to make bombs. Police claimed the sub-stances were similar to those found at a house in Jatiasih, Bekasi, last Saturday.
Intelligence and terror experts have been quick to warn that the country would face an escalation of threats with Noordin on the loose.
“The fact that Noordin is still at large means there’s still a possibility of his group mounting other attacks in the future,” Sidney Jones of the International Crisis Group told Reuters.
“I think it’s got to be still the number one priority of the police to find out where he is and find out who else was involved in the planning of these attacks.”
Rohan Gunaratna, a terrorism expert based in Singapore said news that Top remained on the run would probably elevate his stature further among radical Islamic groups in the region.
Mardigu, a psychologist who often got involved in the questioning process toward terrorist suspects, also warned the police to act quicker as he learned Noordin and his group would start recruiting in this kind of situation.
“I have learned from other terrorist suspects that Noordin would usually start recruiting after he
manages to escape police raids. Therefore the police should be able to act faster in tracking down Noordin’s whereabouts.”
Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri said the police vowed to intensify their search for terrorists who were still out there.
“God willing, we will be able to arrest not only Noordin M. Top but also several others who have played important roles in the recent bombings,” he said.
He said the police had also pursued two others terrorists who were identified only as SZ and SJ. Beforehand, Bambang said that SJ was pursued because he was the one who recruited the suicide bombers who blasted the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels.
Intelligence expert Dino Chrisbon once said in the raid aftermath, Noordin's sidekicks usually brought him to several safe houses in West Java.
“But it is done after Noordin’s sidekicks have created a diversion to trick the police. Thus, if they want to bring Noordin to West Java, then usually the sidekicks create a rumor that Noordin was brought to East Java with the hope that the police would go to the east side.”
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