Noordin Top claims responsibility for Jakarta bombs
Updated
The United States has warned of more terrorist attacks in Indonesia as Malaysian-born fugitive Noordin Mohammad Top appears to have claimed responsibility for the attacks on two hotels in Jakarta almost two weeks ago.
Suicide-bombers attacked the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta, killing seven people, including three Australians. In what appears to be a legitimate web posting, Noordin Top confirms that western businessmen were the target at one hotel and the other was bombed because it was about to host the visiting Manchester United Football club.
Presenter: Indonesia correspondent Geoff Thompson
Speakers: Sidney Jones, terrorism analysist with the International Crisis Group
- Listen:
- Windows Media
(Street sounds)
GEOFF THOMPSON: Almost two weeks after they were attacked, the entrances to the JW Marriot and the Ritz Carlton Hotels are back in business.
There's a few extra security guards outside and a metal detector and a personal body search to navigate before you're allowed inside where the over-enthusiastic staff seem surprised to see you.
At the Marriott, when you stand where the suicide bomber walked and see what he ignored, it becomes all the more apparent that a large table of mostly Western executives was clearly his target that Friday morning.
Noordin Mohammad Top himself now says so too, if a web-posted statement signed off by him from a group calling itself Al Qaeda Indonesia is to be believed.
The leading authority on Indonesia's terrorist networks, Sidney Jones, thinks that it's plausible.
SIDNEY JONES: I think it's possible that he arranged for this statement to be published, but there are some inconsistencies in it. But the argument that he uses the citations from the Koran, the way that he says that these martyrdom operations were conducted in the name of Azahari, the former partner of his who was killed in 2005, and Jabir, another very close associate of his who was also killed, but in 2006; that makes sense as a statement of Noordin's interests and views.
GEOFF THOMPSON: The statement says the attacks were carried out after "previously conducting serious surveys and thorough observation" of those who were targeted.
In the Marriott the target is stated to be a meeting of "the American Chamber of Commerce", presumably referring to the weekly business breakfast hosted by the American Jakarta-based businessman James Castle.
It is there that Australians Garth McEvoy, Craig Senger and Nathan Verity were killed along with New Zealander Timothy McKay.
The Marriott attack, which is described "joyful news to the Muslim community" is said to be targeting those who steal Indonesia's resources to fund America's war against Islam.
The Ritz Carlton bombing is stated to be motivated by "revenge against America and its allies" for what it they do to Muslims around the world.
Also it was a warning, the web posting says, to Indonesians "against the arrival of the soccer club Manchester United at the hotel. These players are Christians, so Muslims should not honour and respect these enemies of Allah".
The police investigation continues with some arrested suspects already being released and many more still not found. Informed sources say that it's also possible some suspects have been identified and are being tracked in the hope they lead to the ultimate catch, Noordin Mohammed Top himself.
