Indonesia Arrests 15 in Bomb Plot

National and Jakarta police stations targeted

Thursday, September 18, 2003

Richard C. Paddock

LA Times Writer

Some Muslim leaders in Indonesia have complained that police are stigmatizing all members of the religion by citing the name Jemaah Islamiyah [a local terrorist network], which means "Islamic community."

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- LAT
Police announced Wednesday they had arrested 15 terrorism suspects during the past month for allegedly planning to bomb the national police headquarters and the main Jakarta city police station.

Some suspects also were accused of harboring fugitives wanted for the bombing of two Bali nightclubs last year and the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta last month. The suicide attacks killed more than 200 people.

"Those who were arrested are suspected perpetrators who planned to carry out more terror acts," said national Police Chief of Detectives Erwin Mappaseng.

Police said some of the suspects had participated in seven meetings to plan the attacks and conducted surveillance of the two police stations. A map showing the targets was seized during one of the raids.
(More: The Charlotte Observer)
2003 © The Los Angeles Times.

Jemaah Islamiyah on the Net:
* The roots of Jemaah Islamiyah
CNN.com International

* Fast Facts on Jemaah Islamiyah
ABC News International

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