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| Southeast Asia |
| Fears Noordin Top evades massive manhunt |
| 2008-05-19 |
| * Fears Noordin Top has evaded massive manhunt * Suspected of directing Bali bombings, other attacks * If confirmed, escape a massive blow to Indonesia SOUTH East Asia's most wanted terror suspect accused of directing the 2002 Bali bombings may have evaded a massive manhunt and fled Indonesia, according to police interrogation documents. The documents, obtained by the Associated Press, include interviews with two senior Indonesian members of the Jeemah Islamiah network, the same network suspected terrorist Noordin Top belongs to. Indonesia's Abu Husna and Agus Purwantoro were arrested en route to Malaysia in March during their escape bid to link up with terrorist groups in the Middle East. Husna and Purwantoro told investigators an Algerian contact in Jakarta helped them obtain plane tickets, fake passports and gave them contacts in Syria, according to the investigation reports. While discussing Husna's planned journey, the Algerian "Jafar" is quoted as saying: "Do you know that Noordin Top has escaped?" Husna said he didn't and asked Jafar how he knew that. Jafar replied that it was a secret. A senior Indonesian anti-terror officier said today that police were still "crosschecking" the information, the Associated Press reported. If confirmed, Top's escape will be a blow to Indonesia, which has been praised for its recent wins in the fight against terror. Top, a Malaysian national, has been on the run since the 2002. Police have arrested several of his aides or couriers and often claimed to be close to catching him, but during the past 18 months the trail has apparently gone cold. Top, believed to head a breakaway faction of Jemaah Islamiah committed to al-Qaeda style attacks on Western and civilian targets, is also accused of three other attacks on Western targets in Indonesia that have together killed more than 240 people, most of them foreign tourists. |
| Posted by:Oztralian |
| #1 Keep up the pressure, he's got to be feeling the heat. |
| Posted by: gromky 2008-05-19 12:03 |