Police take DNA samples from family of terrorist suspect

The National Police have taken DNA samples from the family of terrorist suspect Sigit Qordhowi, who is thought to have been shot dead by police in a gunfight in Sukoharjo, Central Java, on Saturday.

The samples will be used to compare with DNA samples taken from the person killed on Saturday, in efforts to confirm his identity.

"Blood and DNA sample have been taken by police from Sigit's mother. We are now waiting for permission to take his remains," a lawyer from the Muslim Lawyer Team in Surakarta, Budhi Kuswanto, said Monday, as quoted by tribunnews.com

Buddhi added that Sigit's family had been shocked by the death, adding after the raid by the National Police Densus 88 counterterrorism unit, some of the family possessions including money and jewelery were missing.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Anton Bahrul Alam said Sigit had long been wanted by police in connection with terrorism.

Sigit is believed to have been involved in church bombings and the attack on Pasar Kliwon Police in December 2010.

Sigit appears in a video of terrorism training facility seized by Densus 88 from the laptop of Muchamad Syarif, the alleged suicide bomber who attacked the Adz-Zikro Mosque in the Cirebon Police compound, Anton said.

"Sigit was the trainer," he added. (awd)