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SpecialReport: Saifudin Jaelani; Noordin's prodigy in action
Malaysian Noordin M
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Malaysian Noordin M. Top has a new darling and master recruiter who is expected to take up his notorious course of terror.
His name is Saifudin Jaelani (SJ) alias Saifudin Zuhri bin Jaelani Irsyad.
Saifudin has proven himself to be a lethal recruiter of suicide bombers, if the police are correct in believing that he recruited Dani Dwi Permana and Nana Ikhwan Permana, who both blew themselves up at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels.
Operating in a chameleon-like fashion, Saifudin has patiently waited for three years to prepare suicide bombers by masquerading as a cleric and seller of herbal medicine in the middle-scale Telaga Kahuripan residential compound in Parung, Bogor, West Java.
As a veteran of the Poso sectarian confl ict, less is known about Saifudin, who originates from Kuningan, West Java, and has two children.
The only valuable information may come from Amir Abdillah alias Ahmad Fery Rhamdani, who was once married to one of Saifudin's relatives.
Amir was detained by the police on Aug. 6 in Semper, North Jakarta, for allegedly being involved in the recent Jakarta hotel bombings.
He rented a safe house in Jatiasih, Bekasi, which police raided Dead or alive: A police stamps a poster showing the latest terrorist fugitives in a restaurant in Manado, North Sulawesi, on Friday. on Aug. 8.
He also ordered room 1808 at the JW Marriott, where the suicide bombers stayed before the attacks.
Sources at the police believe that Saifudin, assisted by Amir, has several suicide bombers ready to unleash their terror.
Saifudin has scored a terrorist record in being able to recruit Dani (19), a recent high school graduate and the country's youngest suicide bomber ever.
His skill may surpass Noordin's as Dani was raised in a middle-class family, who were expected to be more conscious and aware of Dani's irregular behavior.
The police also believed Saifudin received a bank transfer amounting to Rp 1 billion (US$100,000) for the recent attack.
Until now, the police remain tight-lipped over the issue.
Saifudin's last known location was Surakarta - the police's supposed raid location.
Another new fi gure in Noordin's network is Urwah alias Budi, who is a former prisoner once sentenced for three-and-a-half years for sheltering Noordin.
Urwah is believed to have a close link with senior clerics of Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).
The police believe Urwah recruited Air Setiyawan and Eko Sarjono -both killed in a raid on terrorist safe house in Jatiasih, Bekasi, on Aug. 8.
Additional reporting by Dicky Christanto.
