Terror suspect Umar Petek admits assembling 2002 Bali bombs

Terror suspect Umar Petek admits assembling 2002 Bali bombs

2011-08-14 04:27:27 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Terror suspect Umar Petek has admitted to having assembled the explosive devices which were used in the 2002 Bali bombings in which 202 people were killed, officials said on Saturday.

Petek arrived at Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma Airport earlier this week after being extradited from Pakistan where he was captured on January 25 while in the possession of approximately $1 million. Police have since then questioned Petek.

Inspector General Anton Bachrul Alam, a spokesman for the Indonesian National Police, said on Saturday that Petek has gone through preliminary questioning and admitted that he assembled the explosive devices which were used in the Bali bombings, the Antara news agency reported.

In addition, Petek also admitted to having assembled the explosive devices which were used in the series of bomb blasts which hit a number of cities in Indonesia on Christmas Eve 2000. The attacks left 18 people killed while dozens more were injured.

Petek, a member of the Southeast Asian Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist group, was wanted in the United States, Australia, and Indonesia on terrorism charges. The 2002 Bali bombings killed 202 people, mostly Australians and seven Americans, and the U.S. Rewards for Justice Program had placed a $1 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

Following the attack in 2002, Petek fled Indonesia in 2003 with the help of Abdullah Sonata and his organization. In the Philippines, he later joined Dulmatin who was eventually killed in a shootout. Rumors spread that he had been killed in the Philippines in September 2006 until his arrest was confirmed in Pakistan.

During the preliminary questioning, which was carried out Kelapa Dua Mobile Brigade detention center in East Jakarta, Petek's wife, Rukiyah, who is also known as Siti Zahra, was also questioned for identity forgery. Officials say Rukiyah had traveled to the Philippines and changed her citizenship in that country, but used her Indonesian passport again when she traveled to Pakistan.

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