Sun, Nov 09, 2003 - Page 5 News List

Top terrorists hide out in Indonesia

UNDER COVER Two members of the Jemaah Islamiyah group may be disguised as beggers in the world's most populus Muslim nation, authories believe

AP , JAKARTA

Since then, police have distributed mugshots to mosques and boarding houses across West Java and set up road blocks. Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand have heightened security along their borders.

"Authorities believe the duo are bent on carrying out more bombings and were identifying suitable targets before police closed in on them," a senior Malaysian official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

"There is still enough infrastructure and logistic support for the JI to carry out more attacks in Indonesia," he said. "This is why Azahari and Noordin continue to remain in that country."

Based on interrogations with other suspects, police have warned that the two were planning to bomb a US-owned Citibank in Bandung and Western-owned hotels and residential neighborhoods popular with foreigners in Jakarta, possibly with suicide attacks.

Azahari and Noordin are on a list of 10 Malaysians whose assets were frozen by the US for their alleged roles in the Oct. 12 last year, Bali blasts and the Marriott bombing.

Azahari allegedly helped build one of the bombs used in the Bali attack, while Noordin is accused of financing the blast, which killed 202 people, mostly foreigners.

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