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DOJ Indicts Asia's Most Wanted Terrorist in 2000 LRT Bombing
July 7, 2003
The Department of Justice recommended today the inclusion of Asia's most wanted terrorist Isamudin Riduan Hambali, Indonesian suspected terrorist Fathur Rohman Alghozi and 7 others in the information filed before the Regional Trial Court - Manila today in connection with the bombing of the Light Rail Transit on December 30, 2000
In an amended information, those stand charged for multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder and multiple attempted murder were Moklis Hadji Yunos, Fathur Roman Alghozi, Alim Pangalian Solaiman, Abubakar Bafana Faiz, Isamudin Riduan @ Hambali, Zainal Paks, Salman Moro @ Salman, Ustad Said and Mohamad Amir as principals for the cases filed.
State Prosecutor Peter Ong, assigned to handle the case, also recommended one Cusain Ramos @ Abu Ali for admission to the DOJ witness protection program, as he would be utilized as state witness. Ali was the contact person on explosives used for the bombing.
Docketed as Criminal Case # 02-198833, three criminal charges were filed before the NCR, Branch 54 Manila RTC. SP Ong recommended no bail against the respondents.
The police earlier filed charges against Hadji Onos @ Moklis and two other individuals said to be responsible of the Manila bombings. The PNP-IG then moved on Feb 1, 2002 for the inclusion and investigation of Algozhi in the said case which led to its reopening and his inclusion and several individuals as respondents in the death of twelve persons and wounding of 19 others in the tragic incident.
In a 12-page resolution, SP Ong said Alghozi, suspected to be a member of Jama'ah Islamiya, met Faiz in Malaysia and planned to stage a jihad in Mindanao. Through Solaiman, he was able to establish his base in the South where he met in Marawi City, Muklis, an MILF member whom he requested for the supply of explosives used in the bombing.
In his sworn statement, Alghozi admitted that Faiz, Hambali, Paks, Solaiman, Salman, Ustad Said and Amir planned the LRT bombing in the first week of December 2000 in retaliation to the military offensive in Mindanao during the Estrada administration which resulted in the death of many innocent civilians.
He also revealed that Faiz and Hambali financed the terroristic operation of the group by sending money to Alghozi. Many PNB accounts in the name of Alghozi were schemed to serve as conduit for the money to reach the group. The two did not only finance the operation, they were even in Manila on December 1, 2000 to monitor the activities of Alghozi and Moklis, as the passenger manifest of Malaysian Airlines showed their alleged visit to Manila
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