Indonesian police have captured the field commander of the September 9 attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta, the trusted adjutant of Asia's most wanted men, Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Mohammad Top.Rois was caught in the act of planning more bomb attacks on targets in Jakarta, police sources said. Hunted by a detachment of crack US-trained anti-terror police, Rois has reportedly evaded arrest on several occasions. The militant is thought to have planned the logistics for the embassy attack, and decided on escape routes and hiding places for many of those involved. A senior Indonesian police officer told The Australian that Rois and five others were caught in separate locations in mid-November, but the news of their detention had just begun to emerge.| Ah, kept it quiet while they sent out for fresh undies... |
Rois was found with three bombs and other explosives, the officer said, and had planned to attack Jakarta over the week-long Idul Fitri holiday last week. The militant, accused of recruiting attack operatives, has been interrogated along with the other captured operatives in a secret location by investigators from anti-terror police Detachment 88. | Painful questioning, check. |
At least three of the operatives were connected to an explosion in Cicurug, south of Jakarta, when militants accidentally detonated explosives. Four men escaped the scene. | Premature explodulation, check. |
"We captured Rois along with people from Cicurug," the officer said, noting that all were thought to be connected with the embassy blast. One of them had a wounded arm from the explosion. They are all now officially suspects." Rois used a variety of identity cards and aliases. | Noms de terror and multiple forged papers, check. |
Sources say he moved rapidly around Java and regularly visited Malaysia. He is believed to be close to both Azahari and Top, who have both been accused of being senior members of Jemaah Islamiah, the terrorist network blamed for a string of bombings across Indonesia, including the Bali and Marriott blasts. Rois has been more of a shadowy figure, but police say he played a crucial operational role in the embassy attack. |