Officials on Thursday gave mixed reports on whether the Indonesian Government understood that the man arrested in Pakistan was actually suspected terrorist Umar Patek.
National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said the Indonesian Government doubted it was Patek. "We got that information, but we have no absolute proof that he is Umar Patek," Timur said at the Presidential Palace on Thursday.
Timur said that he was yet to receive a detailed report from the joint force team, consisting of police and members of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), sent to Pakistan to confirm the identity of the person arrested.
According to foreign intelligence sources on Tuesday, Patek, a suspected member of the Al Qaeda-linked militant group Jemaah Islamiyah and the a main suspect in the 2002 Bali bombing, was arrested earlier this year in Pakistan.
Suyanto said that despite receiving detailed information from Pakistan on Patek's arrest, the Indonesian government still needed to confirm whether the information was true.
"It is said that he has been arrested, but we need to go there to make sure [it is him]," he said. "There is a process to seeking the truth."
But although Timur and Djoko were unable to confirm whether the man arrested in Pakistan was Patek, presidential spokesman Julian Pasha said it was indeed the wanted terrorist.
"He has been arrested. It is true that he is Umar Patek," Julian said. "We're only waiting for the official statement from [Indonesian] police, which has the authority to verify the information. But the ministry of political, legal and security affairs has analyzed the available information and are sure that he is Umar Patek."
Pakistani security officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, on Wednesday confirmed Patek's capture. All spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue.
"The CIA tipped us off that he might be traveling here," one official said, but stressed that it was a "solely Pakistani operation."
A US official familiar with the operation confirmed the CIA worked with foreign intelligence agencies to capture Patek – a collaboration that finally paid off after years of pursuit. (JG, AP)