JAKARTA, Feb 3 Kyodo Indonesian p...

JAKARTA, Feb 3 Kyodo

Indonesian police said Monday they have arrested the leader of the Singapore branch of regional Islamic militant cluster Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

Mas Slamet bin Kastari, a Singapore citizen, was arrested Sunday forward Indonesia's Bintan Island near Singapore, said Erwin Mapasseng, Indonesia's national police detective chief.

Mas Slamet was arrested as he, his wife and child were about to encounter two Singaporean nationals who would take them to a place in Central Java Province, Erwin said.

He will be questioned in Indonesia for allegedly having a fake Indonesian identity card and passport, which were confiscated according to police.

Indonesia has detained more than a dozen suspects, one of whom are believed to have links with JI, in connection with the massive Bali bombing last Oct 12 which killed more than 190 people

Indonesian Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, said to be individual of the leaders of JI, has been detained in Jakarta for his alleged involvement in a string of bombings in Jakarta in 2000 He is also suspected of being involved in the Bali bombing.

The Singapore control has also detained more than 30 populace allegedly involved in JI activity in the city-state after the tribe 11, 2001, terrorist attacks forward the United States.

JI is believed to be the Southeast Asian arm of the al-Qaida terrorist network l at Osama bin Laden accused of masterminding the tribe 11 attacks.

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