JAKARTA, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Indonesian police are closing in on one of Asia's most wanted terrorists, Bali bombing mastermind Noordin Mohammed, The Australian reports.
After arresting two of his key aides in a crackdown on a network of Jemaah Islamiah militants, counterterrorism officials have closed the net around one of the most senior members of the al-Qaida-linked JI, since the death late last year of his Malaysian compatriot Azahari bin Husin, the newspaper said.
Terror expert Sidney Jones of the International Crisis Group said the arrests in the past week appeared to flow from the testimony of "Wiwid" -- a JI member detained after the November shootout that killed Azahari, suspected of making the bombs for a string of deadly blasts in Bali and Jakarta.
"I think this suicide brigade is being rounded up ... it's a matter of time before they get Noordin," said Jones. "But a decimated brigade doesn't mean the end of possible attacks, especially when suicide bombers are in the mix."
