Dulmatin Still Lives
Tuesday, 25 March, 2008 | 15:54 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The police confirm terrorist suspect Dulmatin or Joko Pitono is still alive. It was confirmed after Indonesian Police Headquarters received a DNA test result from the Philippines. “Our team has returned and confirmed the body is not Dulmatin’s,” said Human Relations deputy, Brigadier General Anton Bachrul Alam in Jakarta, yesterday.

The Philippine military claimed it shot Dulmatin to death last January in Tawitawi, South Philippines. This is the fifth time for the Philippines to claim that they have killed Dulmatin.

Based on this claim, Indonesian Police sent a team of Disaster Victims Identification, to the Philippines. This team was to confirm whether the body was Dulmatin, terrorist suspect for the second Bali Bombing. They compared the DNA of the body and Dulmatin's family.

According to Anton, the Philippine Liaison Officer has identified the body as Zihar Zulfikar, a local villager. “It's been checked and there is no information saying that the body is Dulmatin’s,” Anton said. “The Philippines often claimed that Dulmatin was dead, but they are always wrong.”

Joko Pitono is suspected as one of the Bali Bombing terrorists in 2002 who killed 202 people. He is on the list of those being looked for. Dulmatin is valued at US$ 10 million by the US. Dulmatin’s family beforehand surrendered Joko to the government.

Desy Pakpahan | Akbar Tri Kurniawan