The Jakarta Post, August 27, 2005
Police detain more suspects in Ambon blast
M. Azis Tunny and Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post/Ambon/Jakarta
The police have arrested two more suspects in connection with Thursday's bomb blast
at the Mardika Market in Ambon, and said they are linked to terrorist group Mujahidin
Ambon.
Lulu Kalderan alias Dulah and Sarmin Makeang alias Aden were arrested early on
Friday by a team of officers drawn from the Ambon and Lease Islands Police and the
Maluku Police's antiterror units at Katapang village, West Seram regency, based on
the information given by Kasim Wali.
Believed to be the bomber, Kasim was arrested by the police late on Thursday.
Police say the motive behind the bombing was likely to provoke fresh violence at the
market, which was set up to serve both Christian and Muslim communities in Ambon
after the signing of the Malino peace agreement to end years of violence there.
The police also detained three other people who were together with Lulu and Sarmin
at the time of their arrests.
"The first two, Lulu and Sarmin, are most likely the main perpetrators, while the other
three were detained as they were seen with Lulu and Sarmin in Katapang," Ambon
and Lease Islands Police chief Adj. Comr. Leonidas Braksan told The Jakarta Post.
The three -- identified as Ongen Rahayantel, Faisal Rahmat and Salim Rumbia -- are
still being questioned by police.
Leonidas said that Lulu was believed to have assembled the bomb in Katapang
village, while Sarmin delivered it to Kasim for execution.
"On Thursday morning, Kasim left for Ambon after receiving Rp 30,000 (less than
US$3) from Sarmin for transportation costs. Later in the day, Kasim executed the
plan at the market," he said.
The police said the primitive bomb, which was packed in cardboard boxes, was given
by Kasim to a pedicab driver, Bal Passal, to be carried to the market. It later
exploded, injuring Passal and nearby passersby.
The police reached the conclusion that the suspects were connected to the Mujahidin
group after they revealed that the bomb had been assembled with the assistance of
Arsyad, one of the group's leaders and also a fugitive following a shooting incident at a
Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) base in Ambon.
The shooting killed five Brimob officers and two civilians.
Leonidas said police believed Arsyad had played a key role in numerous terror
attacks by the group in Maluku.
"In the group, Arsyad is known for his bomb-making expertise. Based on information
from Kasim, Arsyad was still in Seram two days ago as he had met with Arsyad on
Aug. 22," he said.
In Jakarta, National Police spokesman Insp. Aryanto Boedihardjo said that all the
suspects were farmers, and the real target had actually been the Paso bus station
near the Mardika market.
The police are also still hunting for two more suspects -- W and Syarif Tarabubun, a
member of the Ambon and Lease Islands Police Intelligence Unit -- who are believed
to have be the masterminds behind the bombing attempt.
"We will take anticipatory measures in the coming days because we believe that the
group still has plenty of materials with which to make bombs. We will conduct
sweeps and map out the areas based on our intelligence data," said Leonidas.
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