Alleged aide to suspected terror chief arrested

Indonesian police today announced the arrest of a suspect who had ties to one of Asia’s most-wanted men and was providing authorities with information on the fugitive’s whereabouts.

The suspect, identified only as Catur, was detained yesterday in central Java province, the latest of at least 11 alleged militants arrested in the region in recent weeks, said police spokesman Brigadier General Anton Bachrul Alam.

Alam said Catur had played a role in “assisting” alleged regional terror chief Noordin Top, but gave no more details. Officers have a week before they have to release or formally declare him a suspect.

Alam said Catur and the other suspects were providing “information on Noordin’s whereabouts” but declined to elaborate.

Noordin Top is believed to be a senior member of the al Qaida linked terror group Jemaah Islamiyah.

Jemaah Islamiyah, which allegedly had cells throughout Southeast Asia before a crackdown in 2003, has been blamed for two attacks on Bali island that killed more than 220 people, mostly foreign tourists. It is also implicated in a 2003 blast at Jakarta’s J.W. Marriott hotel and a 2004 bombing at the Australian Embassy.

Indonesia has arrested and convicted scores of alleged members of the group in recent years.

Some have been convicted of direct involvement in the terror attacks and sentenced to long prison terms or death.

Most received light prison terms after being convicted on vague charges of withholding information about alleged plots.