Terrorists 'planning kidnaps in Indonesia'
Islamic terrorists in Indonesia are plotting to kidnap high-ranking officials, including foreigners, apparently shifting away from suicide bombings, an intelligence chief said today.
“They have a change in plan, such as to kidnap certain figures, especially influential ones. It could be foreigners or our officials,” said Syamsir Siregar, head of the State Intelligence Agency, after meeting the president.
Terrorists from the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah regional network have launched five suicide bombings targeting Western interests since 2002. More than 240 people have died, many of them foreigners.
In October, three suicide bombers detonated backpack explosives in restaurants on the resort island of Bali, killing 20 people.
The earlier attacks were car bombings involving large bombs, leading to speculation by police and authorities that the terrorists were running low on funds or could no longer stage more complex strikes.
