Militant leader arrested by Indonesia; Explosion at Jakarta Police Headquarters

Published February 3rd, 2003 - 02:00 GMT
Al Bawaba
Al Bawaba

Indonesian police have arrested a man they claim is the leader of the Singapore branch of Jemaah Islamiah, the regional militant network accused of carrying out the Bali bombing. Police officials arrested Mas Selamat Kastari on the Indonesian island of Bintan off Singapore on Sunday.  

 

BBC quoted Erwin Mappaseng, head of the Indonesian criminal investigation bureau, as saying Mas Selamat Kastari was the head of the Jemaah Islamiah structure in Singapore.  

 

Mas Selamat Kastari has been on the run since 2001, when Singaporean police alleged he had plotted to crash an airplane into the city-state's Changi International airport.  

 

News of the arrest came hours after a small bomb rocked Indonesia’s national police headquarters in the capital of Jakarta early Monday.  

 

According to police officials, nobody was injured in the explosion, which took place after the building had been cordoned off following the discovery of a suspicious-looking bag in the lobby of the building.  

 

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, and police said it was too early to speculate on who might be behind it. (Albawaba.com) 

© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

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