Bombing suspect returned to Bali

A KEY suspect in the Bali bombing cried out in Indonesian “America will be destroyed” as he was moved yesterday from the capital to the resort island for more questioning.

Heavily armed guards wearing face masks escorted Imam Samudra and four others for the charter flight to Bali, before which Samudra also yelled twice in Arabic, “God is great”.

Indonesian intelligence officials said Samudra took orders from Mukhlas, also known as Ali Gufron, the operational chief of Jemaah Islamiya, a Southeast Asian terror group that is linked to al-Qaida.

Mukhlas was arrested on Tuesday, and police said he has confessed to helping plan the October 12 attack.

Jemaah Islamiyah seeks to establish an Islamic state in Southeast Asia and allegedly planned a series of attacks on Western interests in the region.

Police said Mukhlas ordered Samudra to carry out the Bali attack and to kill “as many Americans” as possible.

Samudra has confessed to deciding on Bali as the location for the blasts and for establishing the timing of the explosions, which killed 185 people, most of them foreign tourists - including seven Americans. He was arrested two weeks ago.

Handcuffed and wearing a blue prison uniform, Samudra also shouted to reporters, “God’s army will succeed”, and “God is sure to win”.

Chief investigator Maj Gen I Made Mangku Pastika earlier said Samudra also will come face to face with the first Bali bombing suspect to be arrested upon his return to the island.

Amrozi, the first suspect, gave officials Samudra’s name and several other leading Jemaah Islamiyah members. He also detailed the bombing plot, which was the worst terrorist attack since the September 11 attacks in the United States.

In all, Indonesian authorities have detained at least 25 people in connection with the attack.