National

Rois Ready to Blow Himself Up During His Arrest
Friday, 26 November, 2004 | 09:33 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Rois aka Irwan Darmawan, who is allegedly involved in bombing acts of terrors in Indonesia, was arrested with a waist bag containing bombs strapped to his body.

Three other terrorist suspects arrested with him in Bogor on November 5, 2004, Hasan aka Purnomo aka Agung, Sogir aka Ansori and Apuy aka Syaiful Bahri, were also wearing similar instruments of death.

National Police Chief General Da’i Bachtiar confirmed that these bombs were made of trinitrotoluene (TNT) elements, possessing huge explosive power.

“The bombs could be triggered and exploded at any time,” said Bachtiar on Wednesday (24/11) at the National Police headquarters (HQ) in Jakarta.

The Police Chief himself confirmed that Rois had been arrested, rumors about which had been rife since Wednesday morning (24/11).

A high-ranking National Police, officer who is a member of the bombing investigation team, said that the bombs in the possession by the suspects weighted between 0.5 and two kilograms.

The police also found 50 rounds of ammunition for FN pistols.

Each of these had been specially designed to explode within a radius of five meters, enough to kill any police officer who tried to arrest the suspects.

The source said that the bombs were similar to the one that was exploded at the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta on August 5, 2003.

The source added that each suspect was arrested by four police officers so that they could not trigger the bombs they had with them.

Two police officers had to hold the suspects’ hands while the other two directly seized the bomb bags.

Bachtiar also explained the roles of the four arrested suspects.

Rois is assumed to have recruited Heri Golun, the main suspect in the suicide bombing incident in front of Australian Embassy in Kuningan area, South Jakarta, on September 9.

Rois also recruited Syaiful Bahri and gave military training to Bahri and Golun in Pelabuhan Ratu near Sukabumi, West Java.

Rois is also alleged to have prepared the hideouts of Dr. Azahari and Noor Din M. Top, two alleged bombing masterminds, during their escapes from the police.

Bachtiar said that Hasan had hidden Dr. Azahari and Noor Din M. Top since May in Blitar, West Java and prepared the house used to assemble the bombs.

Meanwhile, Ansori took part in assembling the bombs in Dr. Azahari’s house in Blitar and helped in the making of the Kuningan bombs in Cikande, Serang, West Java.

According to Bachtiar, the four suspects admitted that Dr. Azahari was involved in the Kuningan bombing.

Before being exploded, the car transporting the bomb was driven by Dr. Azahari.

Golun and Hasan rode a motorcycle.

Before reaching the bombing target, Dr. Azahari exchanged place with Golun.

Dr. Azahari then gave Hasan a ride towards the area of Cikampek.

Dr. Azahari and Hasan were stopped three times by traffic police but were then released after giving the police a bribe. (Marta Warta-Tempo News Room)