Indonesian fugitives on the run

PETALING JAYA: The four Indonesian terrorists who escaped from a prison in Medan, Indonesia two weeks ago, are believed to be attempting to contact their network of terror cells in Malaysia and Indonesia in search of refuge.

Fadli Sadama, Agus Sunyoto, Nibras and Abdul Gani Siregar were among the 218 escapees during the Tanjung Gusta Prison riot which caused the deaths of three prisoners and two prison personnel.

Special Task Force (Operations and Counter Terrorism) director Comm Datuk Mohamad Fuzi Harun said police and other relevant agencies had been on high alert since the escape but there was no trace of the fugitives yet.

He explained that Fadli, a known gunrunner, had a wide network of contacts with militants especially with the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) members in Malaysia and Indonesia.

“We believe he and the other terrorists are trying to contact their counterparts in both countries.

“Malaysia remains a possible destination for them as Fadli had been entering the country illegally since 2001 via secret routes,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Comm Mohamad Fuzi said that Fadli, 27, was extremely dangerous as he was known to supply firearms for militant groups in Indonesia.

“He was imprisoned in 2003 and 2009 for funding terror groups and weapon smuggling,” he said, adding that Fadli was known to be an accomplice of Malaysian JI member Noordin Mat Top, who was killed in Indonesia in 2009.

He said Fadli’s weapon smuggling was linked to the Mujahidin Indo-nesia terror group, led by Tony Togar, also known as Indra Warman.

“He was arrested once for smuggling weapons from Thailand to Malaysia before supplying it to Mujahidin Indonesia.

“If he and the other three terrorists manage to enter the country, then our security and safety will be threatened,” he said.

The four were part of a 16-man gang which robbed RM139mil from CIMB Niaga Bank and shot dead a police officer and wounded two bank security guards in August 2010.

Fadli was arrested in Malaysia in October 2010 when police found two guns on him which he was planning to smuggle back to Indonesia.

Comm Mohamad Fuzi said Malay-sian police were working closely with their Indonesian counterparts to ensure the four men were detained soon.

“We managed to arrest him once. We are optimistic we can do it again,” he said.

As for Abdul Gani, Comm Mohamad Fuzi said he was once detained in 2010 for burning down a police station in Deli Serdang, Sumatra.

He urged those with information to contact Insp Syed Muzaffar at 017-3907066 or 03-22667026.