Cleric Tied to U.S. Embassy Plot

— -- Indonesian Cleric Tied to U.S. Embassy PlotW A S H I N G T O N, Oct. 2 — U.S. counterterrorism officials believe that ashadowy Indonesian cleric with links to al Qaeda played a leadingrole in a thwarted effort to bomb at least one American embassy inSoutheast Asia on the anniversary of Sept. 11.

Hambali, whose real name is Riduan Isamuddin, is the operationschief of Jemaah Islamiyah, a regional Islamic extremist networkthat receives support from al Qaeda, according to U.S. officialswho spoke on the condition of anonymity.

U.S. officials have declined to specify the target or targets ofthe Sept. 11 anniversary operation or to detail how the plots wereaverted. Hambali's precise role in the attack has not been laid outeither, but terrorism officials suspect him of organizing otherterrorist attacks as well.

Counterterrorism officials learned critical aspects of thebombing plot from an al Qaeda operative who was captured byIndonesian authorities in June. His information led to the closureof embassies in Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam. Thatday, the Philippine government released a letter from U.S.Assistant Secretary of State James A. Kelly warning that al Qaedamembers were prepared to launch truck bomb attacks in the regionand that intelligence indicated "imminent threats to U.S.Embassies."

The prisoner, Omar al-Farouq, was turned over to U.S.authorities after his capture. He recently began talking to hisinterrogators. Al-Farouq and Hambali are believed to have beenclose associates, with al-Farouq serving as liaison between JemaahIslamiya to al Qaeda's senior leadership.

His interrogation has provided a clearer picture of JemaahIslamiyah, a group U.S. officials say has a twofold purpose: tocreate an Islamic state in Southeast Asia and to conduct acts ofterrorism against U.S. interests.

Jemaah Islamiyah resembles al Qaeda in organization and, likeal Qaeda, operates across international boundaries. The group hascells in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmarand Thailand.

This is unlike many other groups affiliated with al Qaeda, manyof which are focused on overthrowing the government of a singlecountry.

Leadership of the group is split between Hambali, who handlesoperations, and Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, another Indonesian cleric whodenies links to terrorism but is believed to be the group'sspiritual leader, according to U.S., Singaporean and Malaysianofficials. The group has sent people to Osama bin Laden's Afghancamps and received money from al Qaeda.

Hambali's whereabouts are unknown. According to Singapore's HomeAffairs Ministry, Hambali also gave the orders to Jemaah Islamiyahoperatives who were arrested in December 2001 in connection withplots to bomb the U.S. Embassy in the city-state and American navaltargets.

In addition, Hambali has been linked to two Sept. 11 suicidehijackers. He is believed to have arranged the January 2000 meetingof Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi with a senior al Qaedaoperative, Tawfiq Attash Khallad, one of the masterminds of the USSCole bombing later that year. The subject of the meeting remains amystery.

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir lives openly in Indonesia, despite entreatiesfrom Malaysia, Singapore and the United States to authorities thereto arrest him. Indonesian officials say they have no evidence toarrest him, but American officials suggest the Indonesiangovernment fears a public backlash if the popular cleric isdetained.

Ba'asyir denies links to terrorism and that Jemaah Islamiyahexists, but U.S. counterterrorism officials allege he founded thegroup in 1989 and maintains knowledge of the group's operations.