SINGAPORE (25 Oct 2002) -- FBI documents claim an Indonesian wanted for terrorism by governments across southeast Asia drew up plans to bomb nightclubs, bars and cafes. The documents claim that Riduan Isamuddin, alias Hambali, planned to "conduct small bombings in bars, cafes or nightclubs frequented by Westerners in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia". The documents summarise a debriefing of al-Qa'ida operative Mohammed Mansour Jabarah who claims to have worked with Hambali, the reputed operations chief of Jemaah Islamiah and a key figure in a series of successful bombings and terrorist plots. The questioning of Mr Jabarah underscores the importance law enforcement agencies attach to finding Hambali. It will also fuel debate over whether important intelligence was properly distributed and analysed and whether consular warnings prior to the Bali bombing reflected the level of threat in tourist destinations in southeast Asia. Mr Jabarah, a 20-year-old of Kuwati origin, was arrested in Oman in March, while travelling on a Canadian passport. His arrest followed a worldwide alert issued by Singaporean police. He was wanted by Singaporean authorities over a plan to attack the diplomatic missions of Australia, the US, Britain and Israel in Singapore. Mr Jabarah, using the codename "Sammy", and Indonesian Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, using the codename "Mike", had come to Singapore in October 2001 to work with local cells of Jemaah Islamiah in carrying out the attacks. "Sammy and Mike, who were the directing figures, also informed the cells that they needed 21 tonnes of ammonium nitrate for construction of several truck bombs," says a report from Singapore's Internal Security Department. "As they already had four tonnes in Malaysia they instructed cell members to help procure 17 tonnes of ammonium nitrate." | | Potential bombing targets include scuba diving destinations across southeast Asia. The link between Mr Jabarah and Hambali is yet another pointer to the vital part played by the Indonesian in terrorist activities in southeast Asia. Asian and Western intelligence claim Hambali was the key lieutenant of detained Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, accused of being the leader, or "amir" of Jemaah Islamiah. From the testimony of detained members of Jemaah Islamiah and al-Qa'ida, it has been established Hambali co-ordinated a range of terrorist bombings and organised training for southeast Asians in al-Qa'ida camps in Afghanistan. Indonesian police say they want to question Hambali over bombings in two churches and a shopping mall. They say they would also like to question him over the Sari Club bombing in Bali because of "similarities" with these earlier bombings. SCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
