Police Arrest Key Mcdonald’s Bomb Suspect

Finding more ties to the terrorist group Jamaah Islamiyah, Indonesian police arrested a key suspect in the bombing of a McDonald's restaurant last week. Although it is still unclear whether the restaurant bombing was tied to the bombing in Bali that killed about 200 people in October, such a link remains a strong possibility, as both the restaurant and the nightclub destroyed in Bali are seen as sources of Western cultural influence. – YaleGlobal

Police Arrest Key Mcdonald's Bomb Suspect

Wednesday, December 11, 2002

JAKARTA (JP): Police said on Wednesday they had arrested a key suspect in last week's bombings in Masassar, South Sulawesi and transferred him to Bali for further investigation, Reuter reported.

Police said they have yet found direct link between the 12. Oct. bombing in Bali that killed at least 185 people and last week's Sulawesi bombings in the port city of Makassar, which hit a busy McDonald's restaurant and a car dealership.

The McDonald bombing suspect, identified as Agung Abdul Hamid, was captured in Central Java. Police believe Agung coordinated blasts and was also planning an attack on a church.

Meanwhile, South Sulawesi Police Chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani told El Shinta radio that "the bombing was possible funded by outsiders."

He said that the police found an outsider had transferred Rp 40 million to a suspect, namely Muchtar Daeng Lawu, allegedly to fund the bombing.

Agung was transferred to the island with seven Bali bombing suspects including Ali Gufron, alias Muhklas, who police say is the chief operative of the Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) network.

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