Jakarta bombing blamed on Malaysian fugitives

The Indonesian police asserted Friday it would intensify the hunt of two Malaysian fugitives Azahari and Noordin Moh Top believed to be responsible for the Thursday's bombing at the Australian embassy.

"I have said that despite the improving security, the bomb threats remain potent as some key perpetrators of the Bali and Marriott Hotel bombings are still at large, in particular Azahari and Noordin Moh Top," National Police Chief Da'i Bachtiar told reporters here.

He said police found the boarding house of the two fugitives inWest Jakarta three months ago but they already fled three days before the raid.

Police believe the two Malaysian nationals are members of the regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah, which is also blamed for the Bali and Marriott bombings and listed as a terror group by the United Nations.

He acknowledged difficulties in arresting the fugitives because they always move residence.

Azahari and Noordin managed to escape a police raid in Bandung, West Java, last year.

The authorities had warned that both Malaysians were in possession of explosives and planned fresh attacks ahead of the July 5 first-round presidential election.

Meanwhile, a local wire service reported that Jamaah Islamiyah had claimed responsibility for the embassy attack in Jakarta that killed at least nine people and wounded 182.

A statement attributed to Jemaah Islamiyah said in an Islamist web site, www. islamic-minbar.com, said the attack was directed to Australia, "one of the worst enemies of God and Islam," reported The Jakarta Post online news service.

The statement also urges Australians to leave Indonesia and for the Australian government to withdraw its troops from Iraq, it said.

Source: Xinhua