U

mar Patek, Indonesia’s top terrorist suspect, wanted in connection to the 2002 Bali bombings, has reportedly been arrested in Pakistan earlier this month.

Many believe he could provide valuable information on terrorists’ latest moves.

A report released by the Associated Press on Tuesday, quoting anonymous intelligence sources, said Umar had been captured along with scores of other suspects allegedly linked to al-Qaeda, in an operation conducted by Pakistani authorities on March 2.

Previous reports said Umar had been shot dead by authorities in the Philippines in 2006, but were later found to be false.

Umar and his aide, Dulmatin, allegedly masterminded the 2002 Bali bombing that killed 202 people, most of whom were foreigners. Dulmatin was shot dead during a raid in Pamulang, Banten, by Indonesia’s antiterrorism unit last year.

Umar is wanted in Indonesia, the Philippines, the US and Australia, and has a US$1 million bounty on his head for playing a significant role in establishing a military-style training camp for terrorist groups in Aceh.

National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi said on Wednesday that the National Police had formed a team to be dispatched immediately to Pakistan to confirm reports of Umar’s arrest.

“We received the information several days ago,” said Ito on the sidelines of the Bali Process IV conference, in Nusa Dua, Bali. “We have formed a team of officials from several institutions such as the immigration office and the Foreign Ministry, as this case involves another country’s authorities.”

The team will go to Pakistan immediately, pending approval from Pakistani authorities, he said.

Ito added that the police were not yet convinced of the legitimacy of the reports. “It is still raw information. Pakistani officials have yet to tell us officially,” said Ito. “We need to cross-check the information.”

If the arrested man is in fact Umar Patek, the police may not be able to bring him to Indonesia to be prosecuted in a local court, Ito said. “The report said he had been arrested for crimes he committed in Pakistan. It is likely he will face charges there.”

The spokesman for the directorate general of immigration at the Law and Human Rights Ministry, Bambang Catur Puspitowarno, said his office just started looking for records on Umar. “We are still checking our system for Umar Patek, including his aliases, Abu Syekh and Abdul Goni,” Bambang said.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has also not received official information on the arrest of Umar.

“The government is still waiting for an official report [on the arrest],” said Presidential spokesman for international affairs, Teuku Faizasyah.

International Crisis Group (ICG) senior advisor Sidney Jones says Umar would be a gold mine of information on terrorism networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia.

Jones said Umar could have escaped from Indonesia in 2003 with the aid of another suspect, Abdullah Sonata, and Kompak, an organization he chaired. Umar had joined the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) at one period, she said.

Jones added that the MILF ousted him in 2005, and Umar joined a group led by militant Abu Sayaf. Umar allegedly gained weaponry and bomb-assembling skills in Afghanistan.

“However, we have not known what Umar has been up to for the last two to three years,” Jones said.