Replies

ON THE NET...

http://www.rewardsforjustice.net
http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/english/wanted_captured/index.cfm?page=dulmatin
http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/english/wanted_captured/index.cfm?page=Patek

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http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2370051
Terrorism Focus
July 5, 2006

"Dulmatin, JI's Top Technician, Trains a New Generation of Fighters"
By Zachary Abuza

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Of the known leadership of Jemaah Islamiya (JI) at large, there is no one with a higher price on his head than Joko Pitoyo (known as Dulmatin), who commands a US$10 million bounty offered by the United States. Dulmatin, a skilled technician, remains the most wanted of the Bali bombers, whose bombings of two nightclubs on the resort island killed 202 people in October 2002. Dulmatin is one of the most important al-Qaeda-trained operatives at large, and, of equal importance, he is one of the four top JI leaders known to have sought safe haven in the southern Philippines where JI is regrouping and training a new generation of fighters.

Dulmatin, an Indonesian native, was born in Central Java in 1970. Although he had only limited formal scientific schooling, he developed significant bomb-making and electronics skills. Dulmatin was a student activist on his Central Javanese university campus. Coming from a well-to-do family, he dropped out of the university after being drawn into extremist teachings at al-Mukmin, the religious boarding school established by JI founders Abdullah Sungkar and Abu Bakar Ba'asyir (also known as Abu Bakar Bashir). With his keenness for electronics, it was only natural that he developed an interest in making bombs, and he forged a natural affiliation with JI's top bomb-maker, Dr. Azahari bin Husin (killed in a raid by Indonesian authorities in October 2005), whom he saw as "a father figure." He was later trained in al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan in the late-1990s.

As Azahari's protégé, Dulmatin was involved in constructing JI's first bombs in 2000, as well as the Bali and JW Marriott bombs. The indictment of other Bali bombers made clear that Dulmatin was involved in almost every stage of the attack, from the planning to the actual bomb-making. In a September 2002 meeting, Mukhlas (the supposed mastermind of the Bali attack) also gave Dulmatin 20 million rupiah ($1,300) for bomb components.

Dulmatin fled to Mindanao in the southern Philippines soon after the August 2003 bombing of the JW Marriott in Jakarta. There, he is one of four top JI leaders—including Umar Patek, Zulkifli bin Hir and possibly Abdul Rahman Ayub—who have continued to train members of JI and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) camps in the Philippines."

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=waziristan
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=southwaziristan
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=northwaziristan

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http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2370054
Terrorism Focus
July 5, 2006

Volume 3, Issue 26 (July 5, 2006)

"Baitullah Mehsud: South Waziristan's Unofficial Amir"
By Sohail Abdul Nasir

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Mehsud came into prominence when tribal leader Nek Mohammad was killed by security forces during a missile attack. Thirty-two years-old, Baitullah Mehsud was born in Landidog, a small tribal village situated on the fringes of South Waziristan. He has four brothers—Mohammad Yaqoob, Mohammad Ishaq, Yayha Khan and Zahir Shah—and is the son of the late Mohamad Haroon. Unlike local Taliban leaders in North Waziristan—who are recognized religious scholars who run their own seminaries—Mehsud and other local Taliban leaders in South Waziristan are not as well educated. Baitullah Mehsud did not finish regular schooling or religious schooling. He belongs to Broomikhel, an offshoot of sub-tribe Shabikhel, which is a part of the larger Mehsud tribe. Baitullah is married and is very tough physically and mentally. Although he is not well educated, he is famous for his political acumen and military skills. His colleagues describe him as a natural leader who has great ability to infuse vitality among his followers.

Twelve years ago, as a young madrassa student, he was greatly inspired by Taliban ideology and frequently went to Afghanistan as a volunteer to join in the Taliban's enforcement of Sharia and to offer his services. As a traditional tribal man, he is an expert at using small arms. When speaking to this author in June, a person from Mehsud's native village said that he has not, however, been credited victory in any significant gun battle or skirmish, unlike Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.

There are a number of analogies between Mullah Omar, chief of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and Baitullah Mehsud. Both leaders shun the media and as a result they are not pictured in photographs. This makes it difficult for security forces and the outside world to recognize them. Omar and Mehsud vow jihad, and they are constantly on the move from one hideout to the next in order to avoid arrest. Baitullah has pledged himself to Mullah Omar, even though he signed a deal with the Pakistani army in February 2005. Baitullah was appointed as Mullah Omar’s governor of the Mehsud tribe in a special ceremony attended by five leading Taliban commanders (Rediff.com, March 10). One of them was Mullah Dadullah (Terrorism Focus, March 21). It is said that Pakistani security forces do not take military action against Baitullah because he has assured them that he will not attack the security forces (Rediff.com, March 10). The local Taliban are considered to be his own private army—although the army's actual numbers are not known, it is believed that his armed followers number in the thousands. These men are instrumental in establishing his writ in South Waziristan. Tribal society is already conservative and religious, so Baitullah does not need to do much in order to enforce Sharia."