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Bali death toll rises : Most wanted escapes
DENPASAR, Indonesia, Oct 8 (AFP) - The death toll among victims of Bali's
suicide bombings has risen to 20, an Indonesian official announced Saturday
as police said one of the suspected masterminds was in the resort island
just before the blasts.
A 20-year-old Indonesian worker in one of the three restaurants attacked
on October 1 on the resort island died late Friday of internal bleeding,
said Sanglah hospital chief I Gusti Lanang Rudiartha.
He was the 15th Indonesian victim to die in the blasts, which also killed
four Australians and a Japanese, plus the three bombers. Officials and
analysts suspect the masterminds of the attacks were two fugitive Malaysians
linked to the Islamic extremist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), Noordin
Mohammad Top and Azahari Husin.
Police believe they came close Friday to capturing Noordin, who with
Azahari is one of Asia's most wanted men. "We had information that Noordin
and Azahari were in Purwantoro, Wonogiri (in Central Java province) before
the Bali bombings," Wonogiri district police chief Sutoyo told AFP Saturday.
"It was believed that Noordin was still there on Friday but Azahari had
left. We followed up on the information and raided several houses but we did
not find him (Noordin)," Sutoyo said. "According to information Azahari left
for Bali on September 28."
Members of the elite US-trained Detachment 88 anti-terror police squad
took part in the raids, local news reports said.
A police helicopter dropped pictures of Noordin and Azahari in the
Central Java city of Solo on Saturday, with a warning: "This man is a
dangerous terrorist, anyone who sees him please report immediately to the
nearest police station."
"I don't know whether these two wanted fugitives are still in this area
or not, but we have been ordered by the provincial police chief to hunt for
these terrorists," said Commissioner Agus Mulyono, an officer with Central
Java police. |
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