Five suspected terrorists reported killed in Bali raids

Five suspected terrorists were reportedly killed during police raids at two different locations in Bali late on Sunday.

Police have yet to issue an official statement on the nature of the raids and details on the casualties.

The first raid took place at around 10:15 p.m. in a budget hotel, Laksmi, on Jl. Danau Poso 99X, Sanur. The area is known as one of the most famous red-light districts in Bali, where people can easily obtain a cheap room from staff at budget hotels who rarely ask for valid identification from their guests.

"Three were killed here and another two in Soputan," Bali Legislative Council member I Made Arjaya, whose family home lies just 30 meters away from the site of the first raid, told The Jakarta Post.

A police source at the scene confirmed members of the group were believed to have been raising funds for terrorism via armed robberies.

“The five people are part of the group that masterminded the 2010 CIMB Niaga bank robbery in Medan (North Sumatra). We have tailed them for months before we make the raids,” the field operative, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Post on Sunday.

Police had confiscated firearms, he said, and some intelligence reports suggested that the group intended to plan robberies in order to generate money for future terrorist activities.

When asked about more detail of the arrest, the police source refused to reveal further information Sunday night, as it could disrupt police investigations.

But Bali Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Hariadi later denied that the suspects were terrorists, describing them instead as professional robbers plotting to commit a heist.

He said that the suspects had been carrying firearms at the time of the raids. (nvn)

http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20120320-334505.html

“Bali terrorists linked to radical cleric Ba’asyir, says Indonesia”
By Margareth S. Aritonang and Rabby Pramudatama
The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2012

SNIPPET: “BALI - Five suspected terrorists killed in a raid in Bali were linked to the terrorist group Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT), founded by radical cleric Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, and were planning to launch a major attack on the resort island, the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) disclosed on Monday.

BNPT chief Ansyaad Mbai told reporters that the suspected terrorists were planning to launch an attack in parts of Bali, as well as other areas in the country.

“Those who were killed in Bali last Sunday were also involved in both the armed robbery in Medan, North Sumatra, and in several bombings in Surakarta, Central Java. We have found out that these people, as well as several others involved in both incidents, have links to the JAT,” he told reporters.

Ansyaad said the five alleged terrorists and some other suspects, had been carrying out surveillance in Bali for the past three months before they were killed in raids in Sanur and Soputan late on Sunday.

He said that some other suspects had eluded capture and had fled from Bali, while others were planning to attack other targets.”

SNIPPET: “The JAT has been included in a US list of foreign terrorist organizations.

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has also blacklisted three Indonesian citizens associated with the group: its acting leader Mochammad Achwan, spokesman Son Hadi bin Muhadjir and leadership figure Abdul Rosyid Ridho Ba’asyir, one of Ba’asyir’s sons.

Separately, a National Police spokesperson said that members of the National Police’s Densus 88 counterterrorism unit had no option but to kill the suspects because they resisted arrest.”

SNIPPET: “The police found two pistols and 12 bullets used by the suspects against members of Densus 88 on Sunday night. Police also found a rented Avanza car with the licence plate DK 1281 FW at the location.

An eyewitness and staff member from the Laksmi 99x hotel, I Made Tama, said that the suspects had planned to hire three prostitutes on Sunday night.”

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