The Age, November 10, 2005
Bali mastermind killed in shoot-out
By Mark Forbes, Jakarta
Malaysian terrorist and Bali bombing ringleader Azahari Husin is believed to have
been killed during a shoot-out with Indonesian police.
A senior member of an Indonesian anti-terror squad confirmed that two suspects were
killed during a raid yesterday afternoon on a villa in the central Java town of Batu.
The local police chief was quoted later as saying seven suspects were killed during
the gun battle.
The anti-terror squad member told The Age that one of the dead was thought to be
Azahari. "One has the physical characteristics of Azahari. Now we are identifying
him," he said.
Azahari, along with another Jemaah Islamiah leader, Noordin Top, masterminded the
2002 Bali bombing that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
The pair were also behind last year's bombing of Australia embassy in Jakarta and are
believed to have planned this year's October 1 Bali suicide bombings on three cafes in
Kuta and Jimbaran, which killed 20 people, including four Australians.
The pair have been the most wanted terrorist suspects in South-East Asia and have
avoided an Indonesian manhunt for three years.
The search for the pair, believed to have been hiding separately, was intensified after
last month's deadly attacks on the Bali cafes.
There were conflicting reports last night about how Azahari died. According to one
report, the terror mastermind may have blown himself up, along with several
accomplices, when police approached the villa where he was hiding.
Another report suggested he was killed by police gunfire.
One police officer is believed to have been wounded in the clash. An official police
spokesman would not comment.
Police are believed to have had the villa in Batu under surveillance for several days.
Crack Detachment 88 anti-terror police reportedly raided the villa after two explosions
were heard.
Neighbours reported an extensive exchange of gunfire between police and those
inside. Up to 10 people are believed to have been inside the villa.
The Batu villa, near the town of Malang, was sealed off by police last night. One man
who lives nearby said those inside had exchanged shots with police for about 10
minutes.
Local residents described the situation as "tense" as police surrounded the housing
complex.
Noordin Top and Azahari Husin have been on the run since masterminding the 2002
Bali bombings.
Investigators are convinced they were behind the latest bombings and Bali and have
been conductive intensive sweeps across Java to arrest them.
Until now police have been unable to identify any of last month's three suicide
bombers or make any significant breakthroughs in the investigation.
Azahari, who was born in Malaysia, spent several years in Australia in his youth. He
arrived at 17 in 1975, travelling through Sydney to Adelaide, where he completed
school at Norwood High School, then went on to Adelaide University to study
mechanical engineering.
One former student recalled him as serious and studious, but others remember a
gregarious man more interested in having a good time than studying.
Azahari also studied at the University of Technology in Malaysia, majoring in
valuation, and went on to obtain a PhD in statistics at Reading University in Britain.
- with agencies
Copyright © 2004. The Age Company Ltd.
|