O

fficials are pointing out Indonesia's continued vulnerability to terrorist threats, as they try to play down speculation over whether terrorist Noordin M. Top really was killed in a raid in Temanggung, Central Java.

"Even if it's true that Noordin was killed in the raid last week, it doesn't change the fact that our country remains under serious threat of terrorism," head of counterterrorism desk at the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Insp. Gen. (ret) Ansyaad Mbai, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Noordin, the country's most wanted terrorist, is believed to be behind the July 17 bombings of the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in South Jakarta that killed nine people, including the suicide bombers, and injured 55 others.

The National Police are expected to announce Wednesday the identity of the suspect shot dead by the Detachment 88 counterterrorism squad in Temanggung on Saturday.

Mbai stressed the killing of one or two prominent suspects would not be enough to curb terrorism.

"What's important is to stop these people indoctrinating others into believing that blowing themselves up is a noble deed," he said.

"Killing Noordin won't give us a blanket solution, because there are dozens of people out there, I believe, who are willing and ready to replace Noordin at any time."

Mbai cited the death of Azahari Husin, an expert bomb maker killed during a police raid in Batu, Malang, in late 2005.

Azahari was believed to have been Noordin's longtime partner in a string of bombings in Indonesia.

Intelligence expert Dino Chrisbon concurred.

"Killing Noordin will only slow terrorist attacks, but his followers will soon gather once more and plan more attacks," he said.

He added recent raids across Java would significantly weaken terrorist cells.

"Air Setyawan and Eko Joko Sarjono, who were killed in the Jati Asih *Bekasi* raid, were among newly recruited bomb experts," he said.

"It will take at least two years before the group strikes back with new bomb experts."

Noordin is believed to have strong support in the areas of Serang, Kuningan, Cirebon, Cilacap, Wonosobo, Temanggung, Surakarta, Yogyakarta, Lamongan, Malang and Pasuruan, where residents have offered him shelter, police said.

Mbai called for an amendment to the terror law to include the use of intelligence in attempts to prevent future threats of terrorism.

The live broadcast of the raid in Temanggung has drawn the ire of the police and the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), who called on the media not to "dramatize the situation".