Police Say Noordin Top Likely Escaped Death

Indonesian police have said that the body recovered during the recent shoot-out was that of wanted terrorist Noordin Mohammed Top.

Unconfirmed reports came in over the weekend suggesting that anti-terror police had stormed a house and shot dead the man suspected to be behind some of the biggest and most horrific terrorist attacks that the area has seen.

The operation came less than a month after two bombs we’re detonated at hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is believed that Noordin ordered and coordinated the attacks which killed 9, injured 53 and was alleged to be set to target the Manchester United football team who were due to arrive later in the week.

Those on the scene during the raids are now saying that the body removed from Noordin’s suspected hideout was not his and didn’t look like him. Police have now conceded that the doubts about the identity of the body are credible, one police officer said “it’s not him. We know from his facial structure as well as his fingerprints. We’re continuing to track his whereabouts.”

Police have said that they received intelligence that Noordin Top was in the building and during the siege a man inside shouted “Yes, I’m Noordin Top”.

A regional security expert with the International Crisis Group, Mr Sidney Jones, said that the escape of Noordin meant that the “legend grows”.

See other stories related to Noordin M Top;

Jakarta Suicide Bombings, Head Of Terror Group Sought
Manchester United Asked To Reconsider Jakarta Cancellation
Manchester United Were Target Of Jakarta Bombings
Is Noordin Mohammed Top, Dead?

Is Noordin Mohammed Top, Dead?

SEE THE UPDATED STORY HERE – Police Say Noordin Top Likely Escaped Death

Indonesian police have possibly killed the countries most wanted terrorist Noordin Mohammed Top.

The countries counter-terrorism squad, Special Detachment 88 also known as Delta 88 and Densus 88, took part in a 12 hour siege and shootout in Temanggung a village in Central Java on the 8th August 2009.

Reports quickly came in from Indonesian TV saying that Noordin Mohammed Top had been killed in the bathroom of his hide-out, as a result of the armed action. The police were unable to confirm these reports.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Indonesian President, thanked the police for their “brilliant job” in raiding the suspected hideout of the wanted terrorist.

Reporters on the scene say that they believe that a minimum of 3 people were killed in the house, 2 body bags were removed and a further body was seen lying outside the house. When asked if Noordin was in the house national police chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri said “God willing”.

Top is suspected to be behind many attacks that have killed hundreds of people and injured many more since at least 2002.

These include;

• 2002 Bali Bombing – killing 202 – injuring 209
• 2003 Marriott Bombing, Jakarta, Indonesia – killing 12 – injuring 150
• 2004 Australian Embassy Bombing, Jakarta, Indonesia – killing 9 – injuring 150+
• 2005 Bali Bombings – killing 23 – injuring 129
• 2009 Jakarta Hotel Attacks – killing 9 – injuring 53

It is believed that DNA has been taken from what may turn out to be the body of Noordin Mohammed Top, will be tested against any that may be on file or that of a family member to confirm a match.

The FBI has had Noordin in their sights for a long time, and has reported him as an officer, recruiter, bombmaker, and trainer for the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) group. Also nicknamed the “Moneyman”, he’s long since been wanted by Malaysian and Indonesian authorities and in 2006 he became listed on the FBI’s third major “wanted” list, the FBI Seeking Information – War on Terrorism List.

We are currently reading conflicting information about the possible death, this includes reports that he may have been captured alive and is being interrogated by counter-terrorism police and that he escaped just before the attack and was actually shot with a camera rather than a gun.

While it should only be a matter of time before we find out what’s happened to Mr Top, this will have struck a massive blow to his terrorism network, hopefully this will be enough to disrupt their campaign.

Other related SecurityScene Articles;

Jakarta Suicide Bombings, Head Of Terror Group Sought
Manchester United Asked To Reconsider Jakarta Cancellation
Manchester United Were Target Of Jakarta Bombings
SEE THE UPDATED STORY HERE – Police Say Noordin Top Likely Escaped Death

We will bring you further details as they develop.

Manchester United Were Target Of Jakarta Bombings

A message purported to be posted by fugitive, self-styled al-Qaeda leader, Noordin Mohammed Top, celebrates the suicide bombers at the two Indonesian hotels earlier in the month.

The suicide bombers who attacked the two luxury hotels aimed to kill members of the Manchester United football team, according to the as of yet unconfirmed internet message.

Wanted for four attacks, Noordin was named the lead suspect in the hotel bombings as soon as they happened in July 2009. This statement in his name shows that there is a clear danger to sports teams all around the world being targeted by terrorist groups.

The bombings at the Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott hotels killed six foreigners and one Indonesian in Jakarta. The message alleged to be from Noordin Mohammed Top said “The [Manchester United] club consists of players who are Crusaders [Christians] and therefore they did not deserve to play in a Muslin country,”

The bombers struck early for some reason if this message is accurate, we may never find out if or why they were early in their strike, as the team was not due to check in to the Ritz Carlton until two days after the bombings.

Four people killed were having breakfast at the Marriott, attending a breakfast meeting, the internet message states that these men who were from the American Chamber Of Commerce and Industry were a target because they were “intelligence agents” of the USA.

The message continued with “We know the hotels were used as a meeting point for Western businessmen to create more wicked strategies that in the end would only create misery for our Muslim brothers and sisters,”

“We want to destroy their strength in this country, those who steal the valuables belonging to Muslims in this country.

“It is retribution for all the acts by the United States and its lackeys against Muslims and Muslim holy warriors,” said the statement in Arabic and Indonesian.

The message dedicated the attacks to Azahari bin Husin and Sariyah Jabir, two bomb makers who were killed during anti-terrorism raids in Indonesia in 2005 and 2006.

Noordin Mohammed Top is currently one of the most wanted men in South-East Asia and is the leader of a group with close links to al-Qaeda. He is responsible for many attacks on Western targets in Asia and is said to have posted similar messages to this after previous attacks, which have been proven as authentic.

Further Reading

See – Manchester United Asked To Reconsider Jakarta Cancellation
See- Jakarta Suicide Bombings, Head Of Terror Group Sought

Jakarta Suicide Bombings, Head Of Terror Group Sought

Suicide bombers attacked two American hotel chains in Jakarta, Indonesia, killing 9 and injuring 53 people.

The terrorists attacked the Jakarta JW Marriott hotel and Ritz Carlton on Friday 17th 2009. The hotels both have high security measures in place which seemed to have failed as the bombers were able to enter the building with their equipment to carry out the attacks. It has been said that the bomber at the Marriott set off the metal detectors, but security guards allowed him to enter as he said it was his laptop.

CCTV footage recovered from the Marriott shows a man pulling a suitcase on wheels behind him, moments before the detonation when a burst of light obscures the camera’s view and the room is filled with smoke.

After the attacks on hotels in Bali in 2002, both hotels had increased security and Indonesia had stepped up attempts to crack down on terrorism, however these measures weren’t enough to stop this attack.

Further inspection of the Marriott Hotel made a chilling discovery, an unexploded bomb and “bomb making equipment” in room 1808, further showing that security measures were not strong enough to foil such an attack.

It was also stated that Manchester United football club were scheduled to stay in the Ritz Carlton hotel on the 21st July 2009, but have since cancelled the Jakarta leg of the tour due to obvious security concerns.

It has been said to be possible that the attacks were linked to the Bali attacks and senior terror-officers have said that there are strong indications that the attacks were masterminded by Malaysian extremist, Noordin Top, he is the head of a splinter faction of Jemaah Islamiya, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda. The FBI had stated this of Noordin Mohammed Top, ‘an explosives expert’ and reported him to be ‘an officer, recruiter, bombmaker, and trainer of the Jamaah Islamiah group’. Certainly a man with the knowledge, power, motive and ability to carry out such an attack.

Further details are still coming to light as more is known about the suicide bombers, we will bring details as they are released.

See Manchester United Asked To Reconsider Jakarta Cancellation for more information