Supposition..., but still no proof.

Ba’asyir may have been behind recent attacks, says Ansyaad.

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 04/21/2011


Prominent terrorist defendant and firebrand Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba’asyir may have orchestrated a series of terrorist attacks in several areas in Indonesia recently, National Antiterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief Ansyaad Mbai said Thursday at the Presidential Palace.

“There could be a possibility. We found similarities between the recent and previous attacks organized by the group of Abu Bakar Ba’asyir,” he said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

A number of militant groups are suspected to have taken part in the most recent attacks, he said. Some of these groups, Ansyaad said, are the Islamic Indonesian State (NII), Jemaah Islamiyah and Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid.

Terrorists see Jakarta, big cities as targets:

Terrorists are more likely to launch attacks in big cities such as Jakarta, National Antiterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief Ansyaad Mbai says.

“In terms of potential [targets], [Jakarta] is number one. Other big cities would also be potential targets,” Ansyaad said at the Presidential Palace on Thursday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

“If you execute [a terrorist attack] in the mountains no one will know about it. It’s the attention they're looking for,” he said.

Ansyaad said the recent bomb attacks were not masterminded by small sects.

"The inspiration comes from mainstream groups," he said.

Ansyaad identified terrorist Umar Patek as categorized a member of such a mainstream group.

“There has been radical movements since 1999, with a list of names. The terrorism cases seem unrelated, but the figures in these cases have connections to these mainstream figures [such as Patek]," Ansyaad said.