ABC AUSTRALIA, Tuesday, 2 May , 2006 12:26:00
Backpack bomb discovered by police in Indonesia
Reporter: Eleanor Hall
ELEANOR HALL: In Indonesia the discovery by local police of a suicide bomb
backpack similar to one of those used in the last Bali bombings has intensified
concerns about another terrorist attack.
Police found the bomb after being tipped off by one of the men they arrested in a
weekend raid which was targeted at South East Asia's most wanted terrorist, Noordin
Mohammad Top.
Top again eluded authorities, but two other suspects were arrested and two more
were killed in the raid in Wonosobo in Java.
But does the discovery of the explosives mean that an attack is more or less likely?
We're joined now by Australia's top police officer, Federal Police Commissioner Mick
Keelty.
Mr Keelty, thanks for joining us.
How important was this weekend raid by police in tackling the Jemaah Islamiah
network in Indonesia?
MICK KEELTY: Well, every successful operation conducted by the Indonesian
National Police against terrorists is a success. And can I just clarify at the outset,
Noordin Bin Top was not at the house, he was never at the house.
Now that the investigation of the crime scene is well underway, we've ascertained that
there were only four people who were using the house, two of whom now are
deceased and two who are in custody.
ELEANOR HALL: So did the police initially expect him to be there?
MICK KEELTY: We're working on, or the Indonesian National Police are working on
targets, and without going into the detail of how they select the targets, this is on the
back of work that started late last year and focussed on Dr Azahari and one of the
persons who escaped from that siege with Azahari, who was a go-between between
Azahari and Noordin Bin Top.
So this work was on the back of and a continuation of the joint operational work that's
been going on for some, well, over six months now.
ELEANOR HALL: Now, documents and a computer were captured in the latest raid.
What have we learnt from that? What type of bomb was found? What does that tell
us?
MICK KEELTY: Well, the devices that have been located and the material that's been
located are similar to the bombs that were used in the second Bali bombing.
That is, that the ball bearings are contained in a tight plastic container that the suicide
bombers attached to themselves.
So it's early days, but we won't forensically, or the Indonesians won't be able to
forensically link those, the material that they've just seized with some material from
the crime scene from last year, that'll take a little bit more laboratory work.
But clearly it looks, on the face of it, that it's the same type of bomb-making
technique, which was the technique that Azahari was applying and also teaching.
ELEANOR HALL: So how sophisticated was that bomb? Are you able to ascertain
that at this stage?
MICK KEELTY: It's just similar to the suicide bombs that have been used, particularly
in the two bombs that were detonated in the second Bali bombing last year.
I think for us, or for the Indonesian National Police particularly, it's just another sign of
good work that's just going on in the background, quietly chipping away, and every
time they have a success… over January they arrested in excess of 40 people part of
this network.
So they've just been chipping away very quietly, but very confidently, and I think
they're doing an outstanding job.
ELEANOR HALL: And yet is there concern that despite the capture of Dr Azahari, or
the killing of Dr Azahari, I believe, last year that there is still the capacity to make
these sorts of bombs?
MICK KEELTY: Well, that's one of the difficulties that we're facing, not only in
Indonesia, but all around the world.
I mean, the bomb-making techniques are widely known, they've been taught in a
number of training camps around the world, and a number of people have undergone
that teaching.
And of course that's one of the focuses, not only of the AFP and the Indonesian
National Police, but police forces right throughout the region and indeed intelligence
agencies around the region.
ELEANOR HALL: So now, what was found on the computer?
MICK KEELTY: Uh, I can't go into the detail of that, but we have got an AFP officer
who has been down in Yogyakarta for… well, basically since these events occurred
late last week, working with the Indonesian National Police.
We obviously don't want to go into the detail of that work. And the timeframe that
we've got to break through with significant intelligence is very short, so you'd
appreciate that I can't go into the detail of that.
ELEANOR HALL: Can you tell us whether it mentions Australians?
MICK KEELTY: Uh, no, I don't want to go into the detail of that, but clearly what it is
is, you know, every time we go into one of these places with the Indonesian National
Police, the same as with Azahari's safehouse last year, and this was a safehouse,
people were actually concealed in the roof of this building.
The opportunities that we get to try and derive from these raids by Indonesian National
Police is very short before they can move onto the next phase of their operation, so
we need to respect that.
ELEANOR HALL: Yes, you say the time is very short. Why is that?
MICK KEELTY: Well, because word of the success of the operation gets out very
quickly, and of course any other people who are part of the network take evasive
action, further evasive action to avoid detection, so everyone has to move quite quickly
- and that's why I say about the work of tthe Indonesian National Police…
I mean, ever since the first bombing, you know, three years ago, we've had non-stop
work by this same bomb team in the Indonesian National Police, and they just do
their work so quietly but, you know…
and if you can imagine the sort of circumstances they're going into, they don't know
whether the houses are booby-trapped, they put their life on the line each and every
time, and I think we don't pay enough attention to the actual work that they're doing
quite successfully and very quietly up there.
ELEANOR HALL: You say that the work is successful, but has it in fact eroded the
supply of suicide bombers?
MICK KEELTY: Well, it has. The arrests made over that January period, as I say
they're in excess of 40. Clearly what was broken up there was a network of potential
suicide bombers and people who had undergone the training and had also been part of
Azahari's teachings.
So, you know, there's been significant success, and you know, we don't want to
Jonah them by saying, you know, that we haven't had major bombing up there for
some time. But, you know, you just never know in this business, and that's why time
is critical for all of us.
ELEANOR HALL: The Indonesian press is reporting today that Top is still in
Yogyakarta, and that there are predications of an imminent attack. What's your
information on that?
MICK KEELTY: Uh, well I don't want to go into our information on that. Just again,
people should be confident that the Indonesian National Police and intelligence
agencies are working very quickly to get through, to cipher through the material that's
been discovered as a result of this operation, and move onto the next phase.
ELEANOR HALL: Now, there was a very specific warning issued last month by the
Australian Government, warning of an exact day. The attack didn't happen, but are we
likely to see more of these? What intelligence was that based on? Can you tell us
that?
MICK KEELTY: Well, I mean, intelligence will come forward from time to time, both
out of the operations that are being done in Indonesia, and indeed in other parts of the
region.
And of course there's an obligation to ensure the safety and welfare of people, and
that's an issue for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and I think they
actually do that part of the work extraordinarily well, along with the other work that
they do, and that's in their court.
Our work is basically to work with the intelligence agencies and the Indonesian
National Police to cipher through the material that's available at the crime scenes, and
then try and paint a picture.
So how the Government and how the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade respond
to that is entirely up to them. But I've got every confidence that the right things have
been done on each and every occasion.
ELEANOR HALL: Mick Keelty, Federal Police Commissioner, thanks very much for
joining us.
MICK KEELTY: My pleasure.
© 2006 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
