JAKARTA: A Malaysian extremist wanted for a string of terror attacks was named Saturday as the likely culprit behind suicide bombings at luxury hotels in Indonesia that left eight dead and 55 injured.
Police searched for clues in the debris at the J.W. Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels, located in an upmarket Jakarta business district, which were rocked by explosions during the busy breakfast period on Friday.
DNA evidence from the remains of two suspected suicide bombers and explosives found in their “control center” in a Marriott guestroom were examined as security was tightened across Indonesia.
Five foreigners — three Australians, a New Zealander and a Singaporean — were identified among the dead as Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda put the total toll at eight, including the bombers. Soekarna said 16 foreigners had been injured including six Americans, two Dutch, one Australian, two Canadians, one Indian, two South Koreans, one New Zealander and one Norwegian.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombings, but the Security Ministry’s anti-terror desk chief, Ansyaad Mbai, said evidence pointed to Malaysian-born extremist Noordin Mohammed Top. “There are strong indications that Noordin Top’s group is behind the attacks because the bombs were hand-made and the tactic was suicide bombings,” he said.
