[Kabar-indonesia] Bombing Suspect In Indonesia Being Sent To Philippines

[Joyo at aol.com]

Bombing Suspect In Indonesia Being Sent To Philippines

MANILA, Oct. 7 (AP)--Philippine police said Saturday they are arranging to 
take custody of a suspected Muslim militant arrested recently in Indonesia so he 
can be tried for allegedly helping plot a deadly bombing in the southern 
Philippines. 

An exchange of information between Indonesian and Philippine intelligence 
officers led to the arrest of suspected al-Qaida-linked militant Elmer Abram in 
North Sulawesi Province, Philippine police Chief Superintendent German Doria 
said. 

It was not immediately clear whether Abram is a Filipino or an Indonesian. 

In Indonesia, provincial police spokesman Lt. Col. Benny Bela confirmed that 
a man identified as Elmer Abram was arrested by a special anti-terror unit 
shortly after landing in Sam Ratulangi airport in North Sulawesi's provincial 
capital of Manado. 

"That was a secret operation, I cannot give you more details on that," he 
said. 

Arrangements were being made so Abram can be returned to the Philippines to 
face multiple murder charges, Doria said. 

He said Abram has been charged for his alleged role in a Feb. 14 bomb attack 
that killed three people outside a mall in the southern port city of General 
Santos last year. 

It was one of three nearly simultaneous blasts, dubbed the "Valentine's Day 
bombings," which killed eight people, including four in a bus explosion in 
Manila's financial district of Makati and another at a bus terminal in southern 
Davao city. 

Philippine security officials believe the bomb attacks were jointly plotted 
by local Abu Sayyaf guerrillas and the regional Indonesian-based militant group 
Jemaah Islamiyah, which are both linked to Osama bin Laden's terrorist 
network and accused of launching some of Asia's most lethal terrorist strikes. 

A Philippine group of Christian converts to Islam, the Rajah Solaiman 
Revolutionary Movement, is suspected of providing help to Manila-based operatives to 
carry out the attacks, police officials have said. 

The Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah are on Washington's list of terrorist 
organizations. 

Local military officials say about 60,000 U.S.-backed troops have been 
hunting militants of both groups in the vast mountain rainforest of southern Jolo 
island. 

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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