Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Indonesian police have confirmed the killing of the No 1 terrorist Noordin Mohammed Top, in an armed siege on August 8 in Temanggung, Central Java. But public opinion and the international community have raised increasing doubts and are asking for reliable evidence.
The Indonesian anti-terrorism unit "Densus 88" feels the identification is certain, "based on fingerprints, facial characteristics and body type”.
The police insisted that they knew that it was the hideout of Noordin and that they recognised him during the conflict (in the picture: police forces overseeing the hideout). They add that the identity is confirmed by the arrest, August 6, of his main collaborators Indra Arif Hermawan and Aris Su Santo, just before the assault on the hideout which lasted 16 hours.
But some note that police chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri, has not yet issued an official identity of the dead man and that he said yesterday in a press conference that "the results of DNA will respond to all doubts" .
The inspector general, Nanan Sukarnan, said that it will take days to get the results of DNA tests. Meanwhile experts are continuing their investigation of other aspects of the dead body.
The photos show the corpse of a man who, although badly mutilated, appears younger than 40 year-old Noordin, who is also leaner. Experts believe it is difficult to believe that credible that such a leader was alone without his personal guard.
In any case, the anti-terrorism chief inspector general Ansyaad Mabi is warning that guards must not be lowered, because Noordin’s strength has always been the organisation of cells which remain active, even if their leader is dead.
