National

National Police Chief Optimistic about Arrest of Bombers
Wednesday, 10 November, 2004 | 03:53 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:National Police chief General Da’i Bachtiar is optimistic that the police will be able to arrest the two alleged bombing masterminds, Dr. Azahari and Noor Din Moh. Top.

However, he does not seem to be very sure whether the police are capable of arresting these fugitives during the first 100 days of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s administration.

“I do not think that we can set a time for this,” Bachtiar told reporters after a meeting held at the presidential office in Jakarta on Monday (08/11).

At the very least, he continued, the police had found spots nearby the location of the two suspects.

However, Bachtiar declined to reveal the possible locations of the two suspects.

He was worried that if he revealed anything regarding the suspects’ whereabouts, Azahari and Noor Din would then move somewhere else.

Bachtiar referred to when the police found traces of Azahari and Noor Din in Cengkareng, Tangerang and Sukoharjo, Central Java, sometime ago.

At that time, Bachtiar stated, the police had identified traces of these two suspects from Surabaya, East Java, to Jakarta.

A house rented by the suspects was empty and after a few days it seemed as if Azahari twas aware the police knew about the house.

He did not return to the house and managed to evade police monitoring.

A similar incident later occurred in Sukoharjo.

To chase the two suspects, the police have deployed the anti-terror 88 detachment and back-up teams from local police units.

“At this time, I think this is enough,” Bachtiar stated. (Sapto P – Tempo News Room)