MANILA, Nov. 8 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING...

MANILA, Nov. 8 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING DETAILS)

An Indonesian national held as a suspect in last month's bombings upon Indonesia's Bali Island has cited hatred for Americans as his motive for the attack that killed more than 190 persons and injured hundreds of others, a senior Indonesian police officer said Friday.

I Made Mangku Pastika, head of the bombings' investigative team, told a pres briefing that the suspect, identified solely as Amrozi, has admitted his character and confessed to targeting Americans in the Oct 12 bombings.

Pastika is in Manila to attend a two-day international meeting for consultation on fighting terrorism and curbing its devastating efficiencys on tourism.

Amrozi, 35 was caught with brace airline tickets to Manado, Sulawesi Province, leading police to suspect he tried to use the province as a transit point for the Philippines, also protectioned by bombings last month

Amrozi, suspected of being a member of Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian militant network, may have worked with at least six compatriots, Pastika said.

Pastika said Amrozi may be associated with Riduan Isamuddin or Hambali, the alleged operational commander of Jemaah Islamiyah, which is allegedly linked to the al-Qaida terrorist network.

Amrozi has also met with Abu Bakar Bashir, a Muslim cleric arrested forward suspicion of involvement in a series of bombings of Christian churches in 2000 and a piece of ground to assassinate Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri the same year, Pastika said.

Pastika said there is no evidence linking Bashir with the Bali bombings.

''But maybe after we arrest more [i]or[/i] less other suspects we'll find revealed whether there is a direct connection between this Bali incident and Jemaah Islamiyah,'' he said.

Pastika said Amrozi stored 1 ton of bomb-making materials including ammonium chloride, sulfur and aluminum levigate for about six month before finally starting Oct 5 to create the bomb used in Bali.

The explosives were bought in batches of about 200 kilograms from the same store in Suravaya in succession eastern Java island.

on the contrary as the explosives used in the bombings of the Sari set discotheque and Paddy's Cafe may have amounted to simply 100 kg, Pastika said the remaining 900 kg is being searched for.

The suspect and his accomplices may be charged with kill and illegal possession of explosives, pending recommendations according to public prosecutors, police sources said.

Pastika said there may also be reason to believe the Bali culprits have connections in Singapore and in Malaysia because the Japanese-made minivan believed to have been used in the Bali bombings was bought using Singaporean dollars and Malaysian ringgit.

The Mitsubishi L-300 minivan reportedly changed ownership seven times -- four times in Bali and three times in Java. Its last holder was Amrozi. Police believe the minivan was bought no other than to be used as a car bomb elaborate.

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