[Kabar-indonesia] JP: Hunt stepped up for terror mastermind Noordin [+Semarang trial]

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

also: JP: Four terror suspects go on trial in Semarang court 

The Jakarta Post
Thursday, August 3, 2006

Hunt stepped up for fugitive Noordin in remote East Java hills 

ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Mojokerto

Police and troops have scoured hilly areas of Gondang district in Mojokerto 
regency, East Java, over the last two days in a hunt for terrorist mastermind 
Noordin M. Top.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paulus Purwoko said Wednesday the search 
was conducted for an armed group, believed to be led by Noordin, that was 
reportedly hiding out in Semar and Kukusan hills and was stealing food from 
locals. 

The area is about 60 kilometers north of the hill town of Batu, where 
Noordin's accomplice Azahari Husin was slain by police in a raid last November. 

"Anti-terror police combed the area as of yesterday but we haven't received 
any results of the operation." 

The hunt, he added, was launched in response to reports by residents of Dilem 
village, who complained of the theft of their food supplies. 

Malaysian-born Noordin is blamed for masterminding a series of deadly 
bombings in Indonesia. 

"What I heard was Dilem villagers complaining about the rampant food thefts, 
with the supplies believed to have been taken to Semar hill," said village 
chief Sutris from Blentreng. 

Investigators from the East Java Police were told by locals that one of the 
thieves resembled Noordin. After surveillance of the area for nearly a week, 
the police and soldiers conducted a search Wednesday, especially locations 
believed to have been used as hideouts. 

The group was believed to have lived near a spring. 

Mojokerto Military commander Col. Sentot Maksum explained that the team of 
soldiers was deployed at three spots -- Bagagan Limo, Ngembat and Liman 
villages. The team, divided into five groups, would be deployed at the sites for three 
days. 

The soldiers are equipped with weapons, including attack rifles and sniper 
rifles. "This is a standard operation gun which will be used when they are 
forced to," Sentot said, adding that each group would pass along paths rarely used 
by locals to prevent detection. 

"We will try to capture the fugitive terrorists alive, but if they resist 
arrest, our soldiers will not hesitate to use their weapons to take them dead or 
alive," Sentot said. 

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The Jakarta Post
Thursday, August 3, 2006

Four terror suspects go on trial in Semarang court 

Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang

The Semarang District Court in Central Java began the trial Wednesday of four 
people suspected of having links with the late Malaysian bombmaker Azahari 
and fugitive Noordin M. Top.

The four, identified as Wawan Supriyatin alias Muchlis alias Heri Prasetya, 
Ardi Wibowo alias Yudi alias Dedi, Harry Setya Rochmadi and Sri Puji Mulyo 
Siswanto, were charged with involvement in terrorism activities under a 2003 law 
on terrorism. 

Four other suspects have yet to face trial, pending the issuance of their 
summonses. They are Joko Suroso alias Joko Padang, Aditya Triyoga, Joko Wibowo 
alias Abu Sayaf and Subur Sugiarto alias Ustdaz Abu Mujahid. 

The four admitted to having helped Azahari and Noordin. They were also aware 
that the two were the masterminds behind the Bali bombings, JW Marriott Hotel 
bombing and the blast outside the Australian Embassy, the indictment said. 

Sri Puji Mulyo Siswanto, for example, was said to have helped bomb expert 
Azahari and Noordin hide in his house in Sumur Adem, Bengetayu Kulon village, 
Genuk district, Semarang, for three days in January 2005. 

Puji did not report his two guests to his neighborhood community unit head 
even though he knew the two were wanted by the police, the indictment stated. 

Wawan Supriyatin was introduced to Noordin in August 2005 by Subur Sugiarto, 
one of Noordin's assistants. Wawan's main duty was to raise funds through 
armed robberies in Pekalongan, Central Java. 

After being given Rp 500,000 (US$52.6) and 20 bullets, Wawan went from 
Semarang to Pekalongan to meet Jabir, who was later to die in a shootout with the 
police in Wonosobo, Central Java, on April 29, 2006. Wawan gave Jabir the 20 
bullets and in turn got an FN pistol with 10 bullets. 

On Sept. 12, 2005 together with Ardi and Jabir, Wawan robbed a mobile phone 
shop in Pekalongan and made off with 15 mobile phones and Rp 100,000 cash. 
Wawan returned to Semarang and handed over all the money from the sales of the 
phones to Noordin. 

In the indictment read in turn by prosecutors Sri Haryatmi and Sri 
Pujiastuti, Noordin was apparently able to move freely in Central Java in 2004 and 2005. 
His meetings with his operatives were held in public places like the parking 
lot of Karyadi Hospital in Semarang and the city's central square. 

Two other defendants -- Ardi Wibowo and Harry Setya Rochmadi, were also 
accused of assisting Noordin evade police arrest. The trial ran smoothly Wednesday 
without any major hindrance. Members of the defendants' families were also 
present at the trial. 

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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