A suspected bombmaker blew himself up today as he built an explosive device in the troubled district of Poso in Central Sulawesi. Police identified the victim as Bachtiar alias Manto, aged about 20. "Our initial analysis from the evidence in the field is that he was making a bomb at the time and it exploded," provincial police spokesman Agus Sugianto told AFP.
| That'd make me suspicious he was a bombmaker, too... |
Sugianto said Bachtiar was on the police wanted list in connection with a July 11 bombing that wounded three people at a Poso cafe. Bachtiar was also wanted in connection with the burning of a car in 2001. The explosion, about 9 am, blew off Bachtiar’s hands and severely damaged his eyes and chest, Sugianto said. He died at the scene.
| Oh, I hope it wasn't instantly. I hope it wasn't even soon... |
Bachtiar was alone at the time in his father’s house, which was heavily damaged.
"Dad, can I use the C4?"
"No, dammit! That's for guests!" |
Up to 1,000 people were killed in Muslim-Christian violence which broke out in Poso in 2000. The government brokered a peace deal in December 2001 but sporadic violence continues. Sugianto said inter-religious relations have already improved in the region, so police could not say whether the blast was linked to Poso’s internal conflict.
| At this point the blast is only linked to ineptitude... |
He also said police have not yet been able to link Bachtiar to any organised group but an "intensive investigation" was under way. |