Bandung, West Java, August 7 (ANTARA) - Police on Saturday caught two terror suspects in a raid on the house they had rented in Cikuda, Pasirbiru, Cibiru, Bandung, West Java, but a third suspect escaped.
The raid was carried out at around 11am while the three alleged terrorists, one of them known as Helmi, were in the rented house belonging to Saefulloh.
Police were able to catch two of them while they were trying to escape during the raid. One of them however managed to flee.
Mrs Lia (35), Saefulloh's sister-in-law, said she was with her children and relatives in the house when the raid happened.
Seeing fully-armed police officers entering the house, she said "I was shocked. How or why could so many police officers suddenly come to the house."
She said she later became even more fearful after hearing there were bombs in the house.
Six months ago Helmi who claimed to be a key hanger salesman rented the house for Rp3 million a month and stayed there with two of his friends he presented as his colleagues.
Some residents said although they seemed exclusive they were friendly. They claimed they had already reported themselves to the neighbourhood association chief as all newcomers were required to do.
But neighbourhood association chief Ayi Sopian said he never knew about the three newcomers' presence in the area.
Helmi and his two friends, according to residents, often visited an internet outlet nearby. They also had an old sedan with a Jakarta license number. Some residents were taken aback when informed the car belonged to the three terror suspects as they often saw children playing around it. "We are afraid there bombs in the car," they said.
So far there was no official statement from the police about the raid. ***1***
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(T.SYS/B/H-YH/B/H-YH) 07-08-2010 19:17:04