Mas Selamat Kastari

fatz

May 26, 2008         
Mas Selamat believed to still be in S'pore

THE Government must continue to work on the basis that Mas Selamat Kastari is still in Singapore as it has received no information that he has fled to another country.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng on Monday explained that the Government thus had to keep in place 'all the necessary border security measures'.

He was responding to Dr Lily Neo (Jalan Besar GRC), who asked if he still believed that the escaped terrorist was still at large in Singapore.

During the last Parliament sitting on April 21, the Home Affairs Minister had said that he believed Mas Selamat had not left the country.

On Monday, he said: 'It is the same position that we still hold today.'

He added: 'We have received no information from our foreign intelligence partners in the region that Mas Selamat has appeared on their shores.

'They have no information on where he could be, but we cannot work on the assumption he is no longer in Singapore.

'Therefore, we have to work on the assumption that he is still in Singapore and, therefore, all the necessary border security measures will still have to be in place.'

Mr Wong had said before that Singapore was in close contact with Malaysia and Indonesia about the former Jemaah Islamiah leader.

In late 2001 or early 2002, he had escaped through Johor Baru to Indonesia, where he has relatives.

He had previously lived in Riau and Java.

fatz

May 26, 2008         
Nine disciplined, replaced in aftermath of Mas Selamat's escape


Even with the investigations underway, Mr Wong had instructed the ISD director to replace several officers at the detention centre. -- PHOTO: TELEVISION STILL

NINE guards and Internal Security Department (ISD)officers have been disciplined or replaced for failing to stop the escape of terrorist leader Mas Selamat Kastari.

They include the two senior officers in charge of the Whitley Road Detention Centre and their immediate boss at ISD, who holds a rank equivalent to a Brigadier General in the army.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng released these details in Parliament on Monday.

He had ordered the Commissioner of Police and the ISD Director to investigate the operational lapses related to the escape to determine who was accountable.

Even with the investigations underway, Mr Wong had instructed the ISD director to replace several officers at the detention centre.

These officers had been identified by a Committee of Inquiry and the Criminal Investigation Department as being responsible for Mas Selamat's escape.

Also replaced was the supervising officer in the ISD - the senior officer to whom the Whitley Road centre's superintendent and the Whitley Road centre's administration reported to.

Detailing the action taken against specific individuals involved, Mr Wong disclosed that:

# Police charged the two Gurkha Contingent guards who had escorted Mas Selamat the day he escaped. They had pleaded guilty and have been demoted in rank.

# The ISD in turn charged six officers, all of whom acknowledged their culpability and accepted the sanctions meted out.

Mr Wong said officers had 30 days to appeal against their punishment. So far, none had done so.

As for the six ISD officers who were disciplined, he pointed out that the superintendent of the detention centre has been dismissed from service.

His deputy has been demoted in rank, with a pay cut.

They are the two most senior officers in charge of what Mr Wong described as 'the ground management of Whitley Road Detention Centre' and hold ranks equivalent to the Singapore Armed Forces' Lieutenant-Colonel and Major.

The Superintendent was also charged and held accountable for failing to take appropriate action when it was discovered that the ventilation window in the Family Visitation Block toilet was not secured.

'He should have instructed the renovation contractor to install grilles on the ventilation window. It was a serious error on his part instead to order that the handle of the window be sawn off, in the mistaken belief that this was a sufficient security measure,' said Mr Wong.

Others punished
The Special Duty Operative - an ISD officer who handled the family visit when Mas Selamat escaped - has been dismissed from service.

'She failed to take immediate and decisive action when alerted by the guards, which could have prevented the escape of Mas Selamat,' Mr Wong said.

'She also did not observe proper procedures, for example, in the accurate registration of clothes that were personal to the detainee and WRDC-issued clothes. That was why Mas Selamat was able to wear more than one layer of clothes on the day of his escape.'

The Special Duty Operative's supervisor - who holds a rank equivalent to an inspector of police, or a Lieutenant in the SAF - also failed to obtain a proper security assessment of Mas Selamat's use of the toilet in the Family Visitation Block.

The supervisor received a letter of reprimand and was relieved of all supervisory duties. Mr Wong said the letter of reprimand 'will be entered into his service record and will have a negative bearing on his future career, such as his performance appraisal, promotion and awards'.

Two other officers at the Whitley Road detention centre received departmental warning letters.

One of them is a technical officer who was responsible for the closed-circuit television camera upgrading at the centre.

The eighth individual affected was the Chief Warder. She too received a warning letter.

It was she who had approached the centre's Superintendent to let detainees to use the toilet at the Family Visitation Block.

Although she was not directly involved in the incident, Mr Wong said that as an experienced officer, she should have considered the security implications of allowing detainees to use that particular toilet.

The Command Director at the ISD was also among those replaced.

The Superscale officer with a rank equivalent to a Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, or a Brigadier-General in the SAF was the supervising officer of the detention centre's superintendent and its administration staff.

holmes

kesian... Selamat punya pasal... depa lak yg kena..

sutera_abadi

Mengikut maklumat yang sut terima, sebenarnya pihak atasan sebenarnya telah dimaklumkan bahawa Mas Selamat kini telah berada di Indonesia...
beliau menghilangkan diri tempohari "melalui air" ...
kini Pihak Atasan S'pura & Pihak Polis Indonesia telah bekerjasama utk mendptkan si Mas Selamat tu...
dan dari apa yg sut tau, Pihak Polis Indonesia kata, kalau dorang dapat tangkap Mas Selamat, dorang akan kasi via cargo, bukan via penumpang....

Originally posted by fatz at 26-5-2008 11:27 PM
May 26, 2008         
Mas Selamat believed to still be in S'pore ...

sutera_abadi

yup...
sut tumpang sedih dan tumpang simpati kepada mereka....

Originally posted by fatz at 26-5-2008 05:19 PM
kesian pegawai2 tu.....

fatz2

Home Affairs Ministry says S'porean caught in Sumatra is not Mas Selamat
By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 03 July 2008 1708 hrs


A terror suspect (R) is led into a police detention facility by a member of Indonesia's anti-terror squad.

SINGAPORE : Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed that the Singaporean arrested in Sumatra by the Indonesian authorities for links with Jemaah Islamiyah is not Mas Selamat Kastari.

A spokesman said the ministry has been in communication with its Indonesian counterpart, but it is unable to share more details as this is an ongoing operational matter.

Indonesian media reports have identified the Singaporean as Abu Hazam, who is also known as Omar. Abu Hazam was arrested last Saturday in the Sumatran village of Sekayu.

Meanwhile, an expert on international terrorism said the arrests of terror suspects in Sumatra have emphasised the need for greater vigilance amongst security agencies in this region.

Dr Rohan Gunaratna, who heads the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the arrest of a Singaporean, who was among the suspects linked to the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) group, demonstrated clearly the prevailing threat of terrorism in Singapore.

According to Dr Rohan, JI's centre of activity has always been in Java, but actions against the terorist group by the Indonesian police have resulted in the group moving its operations to Sumatra.

Dr Rohan said: "The network in Sumatra not only poses a threat to Indonesia, but also to Singapore, Malaysia and countries outside Indonesia. The fact that a Singaporean with links... to the most extremist faction of Jemaah Islamiyah was arrested in Sumatra demonstrates the continuing terrorist threat to Singapore.

"The fact that Singaporeans still serve in Jemaah Islamiyah will only call for greater vigilance and greater attention... on the threat of terrorism to Singapore."

Indonesian police have also seized explosives which could have been five times as powerful as those used during the 2005 terrorist attacks in Bali which left many tourists dead.

Dr Rohan added: "(This) also demonstrates that Jemaah Islamiyah is willing to kill people in large numbers. The cell that was neutralised in Sumatra was not only planning to conduct suicide attacks against high profile targets, but also western and non-Indonesians.

"They were planning not only to use explosives, but also ammunition and firearms. So the threat from JI will not be confined only to vehicle bombs and backpack bombs. JI will use firearms in the coming months and years."

That is why Dr Rohan feels it is important for cooperation among regional countries in their battle against terrorism to be at all levels of the intelligence and security establishments. - CNA /ls

fatz2

July 3, 2008         
S'porean suspect arrested in Indonesia linked to Mas Selamat

JAKARTA - THE Singaporean who was among 10 suspected militants arrested in Indonesia with a cache of bombs, is believed to be an associate of Jemaah Islamiah (JI) fugitive Mas Selamat Kastari, who allegedly met with bin Laden on several occasions and received training in Afghanistan, police said.

His capture followed an alert from Singapore that he was involved in the regional militant JI network, said national police spokesman Abubakar Nataprawira on Thursday.

He linked the 35-year-old man, identified only by his initials, MH, to Mas Selamat Kastari, leader of the Singapore JI network who escaped from a detention centre there in February.

'The suspect gave training in assembling bombs to people in Palembang related to terrorist acts in Indonesia,' said Mr Nataprawira, adding that he was arrested on Saturday.

He said the man, also known as Omar, tipped police off to the whereabouts of nine other suspects at a house in the South Sumatra provincial capital of Palembang on Tuesday, where police discovered the bombs cache.

Seven powerful 'tupperware bombs' and 20 smaller pipe bombs were found in the attic of the rented house, along with bomb making chemicals and weapons.

Many were ready to use, said Mr Nataprawira, adding that dozens of kilograms of explosive powder, grenades and several types of electric detonators also were seized.

Singapore's Home Affairs confirmed that a Singaporean had been arrested, but said in a statement that it was not Mas Selamat.

Kompas newspaper reported the Singaporean went by a series of aliases, including Abu Hazam, and had trained in Afghanistan, where he was believed to have met Osama bin Laden.

The other nine suspects were flown to Jakarta on Thursday morning, their faces covered by black masks as they disembarked from the police aircraft. Heavily armed members of the anti terrorism unit, Detachment 88, escorted the blindfolded and shackled suspects on a transport plane to Jakarta for interrogation.

If found guilty of violating anti-terrorism laws, they face a maximum penalty of death.

The 10 suspects were plotting to attack Western targets, said police. 'They were preparing for foreign targets,' said a police source, who was involved in the raids.

Some of the suspects told police during interrogations that they had initially planned to attack foreign tourists on Sumatra Island, but shifted their target to Jakarta after realising too many Indonesian lives could have been lost, TVOne quoted anti-terror police as saying.

The militants had planned to attack a cafe in the hilly resort town of Bukittinggi in West Sumatra frequented by Western tourists, Mr Nataprawira told reporters at a news conference onThursday.

They had also been involved in the attempted murder of a Christian priest in West Java in 2005, police said.

The arrests highlighted the lingering terror threat in Indonesia, which has been hit by a string of suicide bombings blamed on the regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah since the Sept 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, including the 2002 bombings on Bali island that killed 202 people, many of them foreign tourists.

The government has won praise for arresting and putting on trial hundreds of suspected Islamic militants since then, leaving the group severely weakened and isolated, with its most recent strike occurring more than 2 1/2 years ago.

Citing improvements in security, the United States lifted a travel warning early this year that had been in place since 2000.

'The Indonesian government's response to the threat has improved,' said Mr Tristram Perry, the public diplomacy officer at the US Embassy in Jakarta. 'If anything, these busts validate the lifting of the ban.'

Lawyers have agreed to represent the men and will be present when police begin formal questioning, according to a group of attorneys that specialises in defending terror suspects.

If sufficient evidence is not found after seven days, they must be released. The suspects allegedly had ties with South-east Asia's most wanted man, Noordin Top, a Malaysian fugitive who is believed to head a violent breakaway faction of JI that is committed to Al-Qaeda-style attacks on Western civilian targets.

He is believed to have been behind all four major attacks in predominantly Muslim Indonesia since 2002. Together the blasts have killed more than 240 people, including many Muslims, something that has caused divisions in the splinter group. -- AFP, AP, REUTERS

Read also:

fatz2

July 3, 2008         
9 of 10 terror suspects accused of plotting attack flown to Jakarta


The men allegedly first planned to attack foreign tourists on Sumatra Island, but decided to target Jakarta instead after realising too many Indonesian lives could have been lost.


Nine of the ten arrested were flown to the capital on Thursday morning.


A hooded suspect is led off of a plane by a member of Indonesia's elite anti-terror squad.

JAKARTA - Nine of ten terror suspects, among them a Singaporean, arrested on Wednesday with a large cache of high-powered bombs, were flown to Jakarta on Thursday morning, where they will be charged with violating anti-terrorism laws.

The unidentified suspects were arrested in connection with the discovery of some 20 makeshift bombs in the attic of a rented house in Palembang, South Sumatra, on Tuesday, a police source said.

Local residents told the Antara news agency that the occupants of the house had moved in only two months ago and rarely socialised with neighbours.

Members of the US and Australian-trained Special Detachment 88 anti-terrorism squad were involved in the raid on the house in the provincial capital, the police source added.

If found guilty, they face a maximum penalty of death. Black masks covered their faces as they were led onto the police aircraft in Palembang.

The suspects allegedly had ties with Southeast Asia's most wanted man, Noordin Top, a Malaysian fugitive who is believed to head the violent breakaway faction of Jemaah Islamiyah.

Many of the victims have been Muslims, something that has caused divisions in the group.

Indonesia's TVOne and Kompas on Thursday named the Singaporean suspect, who allegedly met several times with Osama bin Laden and received training in Afghanistan, as Abu Hazam.

Police would not confirm rumours that he was Mas Selamat Kastari, leader of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) militant group in Singapore, who escaped from a detention centre on Feb 27 and is still on the run.

National police spokesman Abu Bakar Nataprawira confirmed that an unspecified number of arrests had been made in relation to the discovery of the bombs but he could not provide further details.

'The suspects will be brought to Jakarta on Thursday for questioning,' he said. 'There have been arrests but the details about who they are and what they have done will be announced later today.'

An AFP reporter saw the men - wearing balaclavas, blindfolds and handcuffs - being transferred from a plane onto police buses at a civilian airport in the capital.

One of the suspects wore a black T-shirt with a logo that said 'Suicide'.

They were escorted by masked and heavily armed plain-clothes officers and taken to a police headquarters on the southern outskirts of the city.

Major attack foiled
The arrests of the ten, which began last Saturday in the Sumatran village of Sekayu, foiled a major attack targeting Westerners in Jakarta, police and media reports said on Thursday.

The men allegedly first planned to attack foreign tourists on Sumatra Island, but decided to target Jakarta instead after realising too many Indonesian lives could have been lost, TVOne quoted anti-terror police as saying.

The timing and exact location of the planned strike were not immediately known.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has been hit in recent years by a string of suicide bombings that have killed more than 240 people.

The attacks have been blamed on the regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah and a breakaway faction committed to Al-Qaeda style attacks on Western, civilian targets.

The last bombings occurred on the resort island of Bali in late 2005, killing 20 people.

The government has won praise for arresting and convicting hundreds of Islamic militants since then, leaving the network severely weakened and isolated, according to experts.

That prompted the United States earlier this year to lift a travel warning imposed on the country more than eight years ago.

A police general, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to the media, told The Associated Press 22 bombs were seized during raids on Wednesday in Palembang, a coastal city on Sumatra, some packed with bullets to maximise the impact of the blast.

Sixteen were ready to explode, Kompas newspaper reported on Thursday, adding that dozens of kilograms of explosive powder, grenades and several series of electric detonators also were recovered.

The arrests began Saturday in the Sumatran village of Sekayu when police captured a Singaporean terror suspect, Abu Hazam, who allegedly met with Osama on several occasions and received training in Afghanistan, TVOne and Kompas reported.

Few other details were provided.

The man, also known as Omar, tipped police off to the whereabouts of two other suspects, Abdul Rahman and an unidentified alleged bomb-maker, who were arrested on Monday.

The remaining six were netted on Wednesday in a series of nearby raids. Their nationalities were not immediately known.

Nine of the ten arrested were flown to the capital Thursday morning, where they will be charged with violating anti-terrorism laws. If found guilty, they face a maximum penalty of death.

Police spokesman Abubakar Nataprawira confirmed the arrests and the recovery of explosives, but would not elaborate, saying the investigation was ongoing. -- AP, AFP.

fatz2

S'porean may lead police to JI fugitives
Mohamed Hassan was part of JI team planning to crash plane into Changi
By Salim Osman, Indonesia Correspondent


CLUES: One of the suspects (above) nabbed in Saturday's raid. Indonesian police believe the suspects could lead them to fugitives Mas Selamat Kastari (next picture) and Noordin Top (picture three). -- PHOTOS: REUTERS

JAKARTA - THE Indonesian authorities believe that the Singaporean suspect arrested in counter-terrorism raids this week may lead them to other militants, including Noordin Top and escaped fugitive Mas Selamat Kastari.

Some newspapers here reported that Mas Selamat, who escaped from a Singapore detention centre in February, had slipped into Indonesia but police here remain sceptical.

Inspector-General Abu Bakar said: 'We have not received any indications that he is in the country but we are still keeping a lookout.'

The Singaporean suspect, Mohamed Hassan, 35, is being interrogated by the anti-terror police brigade, Detachment 88.

Although it was earlier reported that he was still in Palembang, where the suspects were rounded up, sources told The Straits Times that he had been transferred to Jakarta but the authorities refused to confirm that.

Police spokesman Abu Bakar Nataprawira told The Straits Times: 'Our investigators are still interrogating the suspect to track down the network and his contacts.'

Sources said that the Singaporean could have information that would help police track down Noordin, the Malaysian extremist who allegedly masterminded the Bali bombings and other attacks in Indonesia since 2002.

Mohamed Hassan, also known as Taslim, Omar or Abu Hazam, met Noordin, the alleged chief of the most extreme faction of Jemaah Islamiah, on numerous occasions.

Thus, he may have some knowledge of the whereabouts of his associate, Mas Selamat.

According to terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna, Mohamed Hassan was part of a five-man team that planned to hijack a plane from Bangkok and crash it into Changi Airport in early 2002.

'He was working almost as a deputy to Mas Selamat in the plan,' said Dr Gunaratna, author of the book Inside Al-Qaeda - Global Network of Terror.

'His capture clearly demonstrates that there continues to be a threat of terrorism to Singapore.'

But Jakarta-based security consultant Ken Conboy told The Straits Times that he was not optimistic Mas Selamat would be found quickly.

'The Mas Selamat gang we're talking about is pre-2001,' he said. 'After 2001, there is no such thing as a Mas Selamat gang as all its members began to run in all directions.'

Mr Conboy was referring to the Internal Security Department's (ISD) dragnet of December 2001, which resulted in the arrests of 13 JI members, including Ibrahim Maidin, who was the Singapore JI leader before Mas Selamat.

Mohamed Hassan also escaped the dragnet but his brother, Mohamed Hussain, was detained by the ISD last year.

Mr Conboy said that there is no indication that Mohamed Hassan has made contact with Mas Selamat recently.

It was not known how long Mohamed Hassan had been living in South Sumatra. The police spokesman said that Mohamed Hassan was given refuge by the headmaster of Pesantren Al-Furqon Baitussafah, an Islamic boarding school.

The headmaster, Ani Sugandi, 42, has military experience in Afghanistan and is among the 10 suspects now in custody.

Mohamed Hassan is known in Sekayu village near Palembang as Fazar Taslim bin Syainuddin, an English-language teacher at a private school, Cambrichindo International English Centre.

According to reports on private station TV One and in Kompas daily yesterday, he gave English and Quran reading lessons to some children in the neighbourhood.

He had been living in the villages near Palembang for the past two years, moving seven times before his arrest on Saturday.

He is said to have two young children, and his wife is believed to be pregnant.

The Indonesian police said that the Singaporean suspect would be prosecuted in Indonesia before Jakarta could consider any extradition request from Singapore.

National police chief General Sutanto said yesterday: 'The suspect is being investigated for alleged violation of our (anti-terrorism) law. Whoever breaks our law, including foreigners, will be prosecuted under our law.'

salim@sph.com.sg

fatz2

MHA says no intelligence or info to suggest Mas Selamat is in Indonesia
By Lee Foong Ming, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 06 July 2008 2335 hrs


Two different pictures of Mas Selamat Kastari

SINGAPORE: The Home Affairs Ministry says there has been no intelligence or information to date which suggests that Mas Selamat Kastari is in Indonesia.

However Singapore authorities have been working closely with their Indonesian counterparts and other security and intelligence partners in their on-going security operation to locate and apprehend the Jemaah Islamiyah leader.

The Ministry's statement came after Indonesian media reported that Indonesian police had received information suggesting that Mas Selamat had slipped into the country following his escape from Singapore's Whitley Road Detention Centre in February this year.

As to newspaper reports that Indonesian authorities are on the hunt for three Singaporean JI members who had escaped a round-up of JI terrorists in Singapore in 2001, the Ministry said two of the three men identified, "Ishak" and "Rosid" are probably two men who are already under detention in Singapore.

They are Ishak Mohamed Noohu and Mohamed Rashid Zainal Abidin, both of whom had been arrested overseas.

Mohamed Rashid was detained in June 2006, at the same time as Mas Selamat Kastari, while Ishak Mohamad Noohu was detained in June 2007. - CNA/de

fatz2

'I can't believe my husband is a terrorist'

PALEMBANG, SUMATRA - Mohamed Hassan, the Singaporean nabbed in Palembang recently for his involvement in the Jemaah Islamiah terrorist network, led a double life.

To his family, friends and colleagues, he was a doting father, loving husband and a friendly man, if a tad religious.

To a small select group, however, he was an expert in bombs who worked with other top terrorists to bring violence and death to targets like Singapore.

But his wife, 32-year-old Sayuti, never knew that.

To her, Mohamed Hassan, 36, was simply Fajar Taslim, an Indonesian of Indian-Arab parentage.

Born in 1972 in Semarang, Java, he said he had attended primary school there but had gone to high school and college in India.

Fellow teachers shocked at terror suspect's arrest

Mr Hendi Afriyanto, principal of Cambrichindo English Centre where terror suspect Mohamed Hassan taught, and his colleagues recalled him as being religious, but not in a way that stood out. -- ST PHOTO: ARLINA ARSHAD Mohamed Hassan was an excellent English teacher who was sought after by many schools, but he chose to work in the Sumatran village of Sekayu at the Cambrichindo English Language Centre as he liked the environment there.
... more
'He didn't talk much about his family, except that he has older twin siblings and his parents have gone back to India. He missed them a lot, and broke down every time he talked about them,' said Madam Sayuti.

In an hour-long interview with The Sunday Times at her sparsely furnished rented house in Palembang yesterday, the terror suspect's wife described him as a caring and responsible husband and loving father who doted on their sons, three-year-old Azam Abdullah and 10-month-old Abdul Mussowwir.

Madam Sayuti is also four months pregnant with their third child.

'He gave me a weekly allowance to buy groceries and allowed me to mingle freely with my neighbours. He never scolded or hit me. He is tall and fierce-looking, but he is actually soft-hearted,' she said in Bahasa Indonesia.

Madam Sayuti has yet to come to terms that Abi, as she called him, is a bomb-maker and a wanted man in Singapore.

'He has never talked about Singapore. What were his crimes in Singapore? Tell me. Do you know if he has family there? Will the Singapore police question me? I am very frightened and stressed because I don't know anything. I am still shocked myself to hear this news,' she said.

She had learnt about his arrest last week from watching the news on TV. Mohamed Hassan was arrested in Sekayu district, two hours' drive from Palembang city centre. He taught English at Cambrichindo English Language Centre there on weekdays, and would return home every weekend, she said.

'He did not come back that weekend, and I found out why after watching the news,' she said. 'I cried and cried. It must have been a mistake. How can my husband be a terrorist?

'He is a very good man. He took care of the family well. Even though we may not be rich, we have no debts. He took the bus as he could not afford a motorbike.'

The couple lived simply, in a two-bedroom rented house in the Mega Asri Complex residential estate, on Mohamed Hassan's two million rupiah (S$300) monthly salary.

There was no sofa or chair in the house, just a straw mat on the cement floor. In one corner stood a small TV set with a copy of the Quran on it. A thin mattress took up part of the floor in one bedroom, and a telephone in the other.

'Our house is empty, but just look at those toys,' said Madam Sayuti, pointing to plastic cars and lorries scattered on the floor.

'Abi loves our sons very much. He spent most of his time at home playing with them, and he saved up money to buy the toys. I am the disciplinarian in the house; he spoiled the kids and they were not scared of him.'

The couple had met at a market in Jember, Java, in 2003. Divorced with a child, she was earning a living as a vegetable seller, and he, an optical shop assistant.

Soon after meeting, he asked for her hand.

'I accepted his proposal as I thought I would have a better future with him. After all, he was a private tutor,' she said.

But her family disliked him, saying he was 'too religious'. Her father kicked them out of the house in Java about a year after marriage as he could not stand being criticised for missing his prayers.

Pregnant with her first child, Madam Sayuti moved to Palembang in 2004 with her family. She left her child from the first marriage in Java.

After marriage, she was told to cover herself up in a hijab. She was also expected not to delay performing her prayers. Mohamed Hassan himself never missed the five obligatory daily prayers and would attend religious speeches at a friend's house for a few hours every weekend.

'I followed him on a few occasions. The speeches were about how to be a good Muslim, nothing extraordinary or radical,' she said.

'He never behaved strangely. When I checked his bag when he returned from work every weekend, it was filled with just dirty clothes for me to wash.'

The couple moved every two to four months because he was choosy about his neighbours - which stemmed from his religiosity.

'We moved once when the neighbours were playing too much pop music. Then another time, we moved when we learnt the neighbours were setting up a gambling place. Abi did not like that,' recalled Madam Sayuti.

Her husband's arrest has left her lost, unsure about what to do next and wondering about what the future would hold. Neighbours have been supporting the family financially.

One of them turned up at Madam Sayuti's house during the interview with a plate of rice and chicken soup. 'Eat up, Sayuti, before the food turns cold,' she said.

The neighbour declined to give her name, but before leaving, she told The Sunday Times: 'I pity Sayuti and her children. They don't know anything.'

Madam Sayuti is appealing for Singapore relatives to contact her, through The Sunday Times.

She said: 'I have no relatives here. I have not told my family in Java about this. My neighbours have been supporting me the past week, but they cannot do this for long.'

Asked about her husband's alleged involvement in terrorist activities, she replied: 'I read that he wanted to bomb some places in Palembang. It is scary to hear that. To me, that is a very wrong thing to do. A lot of people, and fellow Muslims too, will be killed.'

She stared into space, and went silent for a while. And then added: 'No, I still cannot believe my husband will do such a thing.

'I miss him. I depend on him and now that he is taken away, what will happen to our children? What am I to do?'

fatz2

Critical info from S'pore led to arrests in Indonesia
Security experts hail the exchange of intelligence between the two countries
By Kor Kian Beng


KEY ARREST: Mohamed Hassan was captured 10 days ago.

PRECISE information provided by Singapore led to the arrest of bomb-maker Mohamed Hassan in Indonesia recently, sources said.

The 'decisive intelligence pinpointed Mohamed Hassan's exact location' on Sumatra and led to his arrest 10 days ago in Sekayu, near Palembang, they said.

Leads arising from his interrogation enabled Indonesian police to arrest nine Indonesians, and seize more than 20 bombs and 50kg of explosives in raids over the next four days.

Terrorism expert John Harrison of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) noted: 'Intelligence gathered in one country can have massive impact elsewhere. Both Singapore and Indonesia deserve credit.'

Mohamed Hassan, 35, has a brother in custody at the Whitley Road Detention Centre (WRDC) for terrorist activity.

Dr Rohan Gunaratna, another terrorism expert at RSIS and author of Inside Al-Qaeda, said Mohamed Hassan was second in command in a five-men terrorist cell led by Mas Selamat Kastari.

The five, all Singaporeans, evaded the Internal Security Department (ISD) dragnet that caught 15 people in Dec 2001.

The group escaped to Thailand, where Mas Selamat planned to hijack a plane and crash it into Changi Airport in early 2002. He wanted to retaliate against the Jemaah Islamiah arrests and also to pressure the United States to stop its attacks on Afghanistan.

Of the five who fled, three are today in custody - Mohamed Hassan in Indonesia, Ishak Mohamed Noohu and Mohamed Rashid Zainal Abidin, both in their late forties, in Singapore.

Information provided by Singapore led to their capture in a neighbouring country in 2004 and 2006 respectively, said sources. Both were later deported back to Singapore, separately, in 2006.

The remaining two at large are Husaini Ismail and Mas Selamat.

The latter was arrested by Indonesian police in Tanjung Pinang in February 2003 based on information from Singapore. He escaped in 2004, but was later recaptured.

He was released from prison prematurely in 2005 and re-arrested in January 2006. He was deported to Singapore the next month, and kept at WRDC till this February when he escaped.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Sunday it will continue to work with all its foreign security partners to arrest other Singaporean JI members still at large.

Describing Singapore as a regional centre for anti-terrorism efforts, Dr Gunaratna said: 'It's fighting terrorism not only for Singapore's interests but also that of other countries.'

Dr Harrison highlighted a different issue: 'The JI group now knows the organisation has been penetrated. It now has its own internal security problems.

'This means it will have to be circumspect in its operations. Should it continue its terror operations, or investigate the leaks? Studies have shown that these groups cannot do both well at the same time.'

kianbeng@sph.com.sg

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fatz2

July 12, 2008         
Mas Selamat may be in Indonesia: police


Mas Selamat bin Kastari (above) escaped from a Singapore detention centre in February, where he was being held for allegedly plotting to crash a plane into Singapore's airport. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

JAKARTA - A SUSPECTED Islamic militant believed to head a Singapore cell of regional network Jemaah Islamiah (JI) may be hiding in Indonesia, where he could blend in more easily, Indonesia's police chief said.

Mas Selamat bin Kastari escaped from a Singapore detention centre in February, where he was being held for allegedly plotting to crash a plane into Singapore's airport.

Singapore officials have previously expressed concern Mas Selamat might try to hook up again with the JI network, blamed for the 2002 nightclub bombings in Bali that killed 202 people.

Asked whether Mas Selamat might be hiding in Indonesia, Indonesian police chief Sutanto told reporters on Saturday: 'It's possible.'

He added that language and cultural similarities meant the fugitive would be able to blend in more easily.

'If he moved to Europe he would be caught,' he added.

Mas Selamat's escape embarrassed Singapore authorities and sparked a massive manhunt on the island which saw Nepali Gurkhas combing forests and a global security alert from Interpol.

Mr Sutanto said police were still investigating a network of suspected militants detained recently in Palembang on Indonesia's Sumatra island.

The group of 10 were detained in raids by Indonesia's anti-terrorism unit and a large cache of bombs was found.

The raids followed the capture of a suspected militant, who police said was a bomb-making expert linked to Mas Selamat, after a tip-off by authorities in Singapore.

Police said the group was suspected of being involved in plans to bomb a cafe in Bukittinggi, a popular tourist resort in West Sumatra.

JI, which wants to create an Islamic caliphate in South-east Asia, carried out a string of deadly attacks in recent years in Indonesia.

But there have been no major attacks for more than two years and a series of raids, often involving Detachment 88, a police unit funded and trained by the United States and Australia, have led to the arrest of hundreds of militant suspects. -- REUTERS

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MHA says no intelligence to suggest Mas Selamat is in Indonesia
Posted: 12 July 2008 2046 hrs



SINGAPORE: Singapore's Home Affairs Ministry says that to date, there has been no intelligence or information to suggest that escaped Jemaah Islamiyah leader Mas Selamat Kastari is in Indonesia.

The ministry made the statement following a media report that Mas Selamat might be hiding in Indonesia.

Indonesia's police chief Sutanto was quoted as saying it was possible for Mas Selamat to be in Indonesia as language and cultural similarities meant the fugitive would be able to blend in more easily.

Mas Selamat escaped from Singapore's Whitley Road Detention Centre in February this year.

Singapore authorities said they would continue to work closely with their Indonesian counterparts and other security and intelligence partners in their on-going security operation to locate and apprehend him.

- CNA/ir

virgomal

SINGAPORE

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Many in Singapore say bounty for Mas Selamat's capture a good idea
By May Wong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 July 2008 2102 hrs



SINGAPORE: It is a proven tactic worldwide - monetary rewards have led to the capture of notorious terrorists.

So, many in Singapore say the S$1 million bounty for Jemaah Islamiyah fugitive Mas Selamat Kastari is a good idea. Mas Selamat, who escaped from a Singapore detention centre about five months ago, had planned to crash a hijacked plane into Singapore's Changi Airport.

Monetary rewards have led to the arrests of terrorists like Riduan Isamuddin, better known as Hambali and dubbed Southeast Asia's Osama bin Laden.

Hambali was Al-Qaeda's military commander in Southeast Asia and a Jemaah Islamiyah leader. He was captured in Thailand in August 2003 after a reward of US$10 million was offered, and is now in US custody.

Dr Rohan Gunaratna, an international terrorism expert at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said: "The Thais were deeply motivated by an offer of several million dollars by the CIA, and the US government said that they would give (it) to a government if Hambali is arrested.

"(Following the offer)... we saw investigators specially look for him. So, certainly, money is a powerful motivator."

Hambali was responsible for a string of bombings in Indonesia, including the devastating Bali attack in October 2002 that killed 202 people.

Another terrorist, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the September 11 attacks on the US, was also captured after a bounty offer.

Dr Gunaratna said the monetary reward for Mas Selamat must be publicised constantly, especially in the region, to remind everyone to keep a lookout for the terrorist.

Dr Gunaratna said: "This reward will keep not only the security and intelligence and law enforcement agencies alert and vigilant, but make the public also aggressively and actively look out for him. So (a) reward is important, but publicising the reward is equally important.

"(Mas Selamat) Kastari can be captured any moment, especially if there's a reward. It can be a few weeks, it can be a few months. Certainly, Kastari can hide, Kastari can run, but he will be eventually captured. Patience is key in good counter-terrorism work."

Dr Gunaratna added that the S$1 million reward offer will also make Mas Selamat grow more suspicious of his own associates and those he has recruited.

He said: "When such a reward is offered, it will make Mas Selamat's position unstable, and he will not be able to rely on a bigger network to do attacks. So certainly, the offer of a reward at this point of time will have a big psychological and operational impact on (Mas Selamat) Kastari's mind and on his network."

Other terrorism experts Channel NewsAsia spoke to said the S$1 million bounty is a timely and effective option to get information about Mas Selamat.

The reward, they said, is also a classic psychological warfare tactic which will put pressure on those who may be harbouring the fugitive.

Experts added the reward is a good attempt to exploit the momentum created by the recent capture of Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists in Indonesia.

The man in the street also approved of the bounty.

"This monetary reward is a good incentive, but the downside is you don't know how many people will try and make the claims just for the sake of collecting the one million dollars," said a member of the public.

"It's good for whoever can do something about it, one million dollars is a lot of money," said another.

"I don't think people (within Singapore) will be particularly motivated because of that... But I think (outside Singapore), they might be motivated because of the money," said a third.

"Not only in Singapore, if you look at other Western countries, for instance, Osama bin Laden, people have put a price on his head, so at least that's the right way, I should say, to do it," said a fourth.

- CNA/ir

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5 days to prepare for $1m 'Mas Hunt'

By Elsa Chen

ARE these bounty hunters for real?

Their quarry: Escaped terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari, who now has a $1 million reward on his head.

According to their spokesman, these three Singaporeans have quit their jobs so they can look for their target in Indonesia.

Why? For a million bucks and perhaps a chance to appear as heroes.

But the hunt could lead to injury or even death when terrorists turn into desperados.

And they could get into serious legal problems hunting fugitives on foreign soil, or even spark a diplomatic row.

For all the risk, they could end up with nothing after months of frustration.

But this is not stopping the three men, all in their 20s, who have resigned from their jobs in the private sector this week to try their luck.

COMMANDO TRAINING

The trio, who had undergone commando training during their national service, are heading to Indonesia today.

The three men, who have been volunteers with Crime Library since 2005, contacted its founder, Mr Joseph Tan, on Tuesday to seek his opinion about their plans.

Mr Tan, 42, who is acting as their spokesman and their point of contact in Singapore, said: 'They are not my children, but I feel like a father to them.

'If I were 20 years younger, I would join them. I may also become a part-millionaire in the process.'

Mr Tan declined to reveal details about the men for fear of blowing their cover. They also turned down requests for an interview.

Anti-terrorist professionals spend many months training before they carry out big missions, but the trio are off after barely five days of preparation.

Their aim is to blend into local communities in Indonesia and to seek leads that might pinpoint the hideout of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) leader.

Anti-terror agencies in the region have failed so far to track down the fugitive after a four-month search.

Yet the bounty hunters believe they stand a chance to strike paydirt.

The call of a million dollars is strong. The bounty, offered by two anonymous businessmen, is Singapore's largest ever.

Mr Tan said their first aim is to try to work out Mas Selamat's escape route. One of their theories is that he could have left Singapore from a fishing port in Jurong.

The men have some savings to tide them over their first year in Indonesia, Mr Tan said.

They plan to gain the trust of the locals who could help them get closer to the JI cells there.

But is there a danger they might get indoctrinated as well?

Mr Tan's reply: 'I'm not worried that they will get converted, because terrorists don't get $1 million as a reward.'

To help the effort, Mr Tan sent out an e-mail with Mas Selamat's picture, to alert people in Malaysia, Indonesia and China to be on the lookout.

Mr Tan has helped solved about 440 missing person cases since he founded Crime Library in 2001.

The former policeman said: 'With the $1 million offer, we can borrow eyes in other countries, turning the people in our network to become bounty hunters too.'

CREATED A BUZZ

The reward has also created a buzz in the security industry, including those in neighbouring countries.

Mr Ponno Kalastree, 61, managing director of security and investigations agency Mainguard International, has mobilised agents in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines to look out for Mas Selamat.

He said: 'The reward will be a real motivation. If they find him, they can live comfortably for the rest of their lives.'

Dr SM Jegan, a director of Kokusai Security, has offered an additional $10,000 from his own pocket if his staff members in Singapore and network in Indonesia are able to give information on Mas Selamat's whereabouts.

'Mas Selamat's escape has affected our reputation as a safe country.

' I am also concerned for the safety of Singaporeans,' he said.

Some terrorists have been caught after rewards were offered for their capture.

9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was captured in Pakistan in 2003 after a US$25 million ($34m) bounty was offered.

Last year, four Filipinos were paid US$10 million after Abu Sayyaf leaders Khadaffy Janjalani and Abu Sulaiman were discovered and killed.

The Indonesian-born Mas Selamat escaped from a detention centre here in February.

Officials say they have no information to confirm that he has left Singapore or that he has escaped to Indonesia.

Anyone with information on Mas Selamat may call the Counter Terrorism Centre hotline at 1800-262 6473 or the police at 999.

This article was first published in The New Paper on July 26.

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We'll get him one day
But Singapore authorities do not know where fugitive Mas Salamat is.


Mas Selamat (left) was accused of plotting to hijack a plane to crash it into Singapore's Changi Airport in 2001 but was never formally charged. -- PHOTO: MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE does not know if fugitive terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari, the country's most wanted man, is still in the country more than nine months after he escaped from detention, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Friday.

The leader of the Singapore Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militant group escaped on Feb 27 from a maximum-security detention centre. The incident badly dented Singapore's reputation for tight security.

'We don't know. He could be here, he could be overseas,' Mr Lee told a lunch gathering of the Foreign Correspondents Association.

He said Singapore tried its best 'to make sure he doesn't go anywhere' but added: 'Short though our borders may be, they are difficult to watch all the time.'

Two months after the escape, Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng told parliament that security agencies believed Mas Selamat was still in Singapore, but analysts said he had likely fled to nearby Indonesia.

'What's the lesson out of this? Never let your guard down,' the prime minister said, describing Mas Selamat as a 'very determined man'.

'One day we will catch him,' Mr Lee vowed.

On rumours that Mas Selamat did not escape but was killed in government custody, Mr Lee said: 'I have heard that rumour. It's ridiculous.'

Mas Selamat was accused of plotting to hijack a plane to crash it into Singapore's Changi Airport in 2001 but was never formally charged. When he escaped, he was being held under the Internal Security Act that allows for detention without trial.

Singapore has offered a reward of $1 million, put up by local businessmen, for information leading to the recapture of the escaped militant whether at home or abroad.

Born in 1961 in Singapore, Mas Selamat fled the country after an Internal Security Department operation broke up the local JI network with a series of arrests beginning in December 2001, the government said.

He was arrested in Indonesia in 2006 and handed back to Singapore.

Regional authorities have blamed JI for a string of attacks, including the 2002 bombings in the Indonesian resort island of Bali, which killed 202 people. - AFP.

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No credible information of whereabouts of Mas Selamat Kastari
By Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 05 February 2009 2136 hrs


Mas Selamat Kastari

SINGAPORE : Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng said his ministry has no credible information on the whereabouts of Mas Selamat Kastari, the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leader who escaped last year.

Giving Parliament this update on Thursday, Mr Wong added there were currently 20 persons detained for terrorist activities by Singapore's Internal Security Department.

The Whitley Road Detention Centre was where the authorities last saw Mas Selamat Kastari in February 2008.

He has been at large for nearly a year, leading one MP to ask what the current status is.

"I noticed that many Singaporeans have simply forgotten about Mas Selamat, and our community engagement of the public with regard to terrorism seems to have slackened," said Dr Teo Ho Pin, MP for Bukit Panjang.

Mr Wong, who is also the deputy PM, replied: "We have no credible information on Mas Selamat's whereabouts to share at this point in time. But let me assure Dr Teo that we have not slackened in our search. Whether Mas Selamat is in Singapore or he has fled our country, we will hunt him down as we did before."

Another issue raised was America closing the Guantanamo Bay detainee facility and how it will affect the movement of any Southeast Asian detainees who may pose a security threat to Singapore.

"How Guantanamo Bay detainees are managed, when it is closed, will bear serious security implications for many countries. It would be useful if there is a mechanism to track the movement of detainees. However, this is up to the Obama Administration, which is studying how Guantanamo Bay can be closed," said Mr Wong.

The home affairs minister said Singapore's security agencies are monitoring developments and keeping in close touch with their foreign counterparts.

He added that Singapore's border security has also been enhanced after the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai. - CNA /ls

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?x=410&y=273&sig=P.ABMGSqYdXUogV_fKtLfA--

FP - Friday, May 8

SINGAPORE (AFP) - - The alleged leader of an Islamic militant group accused of plotting to crash an airliner in Singapore has been arrested in Malaysia after more than a year on the run, according to the government.
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Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement Mas Selamat bin Kastari had been captured by Malaysian authorities, but gave no other details.

"Mas Selamat has been arrested by the Malaysian Special Branch (MSB) in a joint operation between the MSB and the Internal Security Department," the statement sent to AFP said.

The Straits Times said Kastari was caught on April 1 in the Malaysian state of Johor, which sits just across a causeway from Singapore, and has been held in custody by Malaysian authorities since.

Kastari is said to be the head of the Singapore cell of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), an underground group linked to Al-Qaeda and blamed for the 2002 Bali bombing and other bloody attacks in Southeast Asia.

Singapore officials have alleged he was part of a plot to hijack an airliner in Bangkok and crash it into Changi airport -- one of Asia's busiest -- in 2001 following the September 11 attacks in the United States.

Now 48, he escaped from his high-security detention centre in Singapore on February 27 last year after squeezing through a toilet window that had no bars and climbing over a fence.

Kastari's escape triggered a massive manhunt, but a flood of tips from the public, some inspired by a bounty of one million Singapore dollars (647,520 US dollars) put up by two local businessmen, turned out to be false alarms.

He had not been formally charged at the time of his escape, and was being held under the Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial.

The Straits Times cited "senior intelligence sources" as saying Kastari was arrested on April 1 in Johor.

It is believed he is being held for interrogation by Malaysian authorities under the country's own internal security law, which also allows for detention without trial.

The newspaper said he was thought to have been in Johor since his escape, and that his re-arrest followed a joint operation by Malaysian and Singaporean security agencies.

"He is an extremely skilled and dangerous terrorist and the fact that he has been recaptured improves the security situation in Singapore and the region," said John Harrison, a security analyst at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

"This is irrespective of what he may or may not have been able to accomplish during his escape," he told AFP.

Harrison, manager of research at NTU's International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, said whatever morale boost the JI gained from the escape has now been erased.

"Secondly, what it does show is that there is a tremendous regional cooperation against JI and that as long as that continues the JI will not be able to successfully re-establish itself as the organisation that it once was."

Harrison praised Singapore and Malaysian authorities for their cooperation and said they had kept the news under wraps to get more intelligence away from the media glare.

Sidney Jones, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, applauded the arrest, but said it was not an ending.

"In some ways the bigger danger will still come from the people at large," she told AFP from Jakarta.

"I think we've got a number of little splinters. I don't think this arrest will change their strategies."

She said "the important thing is (to) keep up the pressure from the law enforcement agencies and try to find these other people."

Rohan Gunaratna, a security analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, described Kastari's arrest as a "very significant blow to the JI network because JI is trying to revive."

"Mas Selamat is a key icon of the Jemaah Islamiyah organisation, he is one of the most dangerous terrorists in this region, his arrest is a major setback to the JI organisation," he told broadcaster Channel NewsAsia.

Kastari had fled Singapore in December 2001 following an Internal Security Department operation against Jemaah Islamiyah. He was arrested in Indonesia in 2006 and handed back.