The Jakarta Post, December 21, 2005
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.
All contents copyright © of The Jakarta Post.
|