"Lethal" al Qaeda terrorist captured

Friday, 15 August 2003 5:38 AM

US President George W Bush announced on Thursday the capture of Hambali, one of the world's "most lethal" terrorists.

Hambali or Riduan Isamuddin is alleged to have mounted terrorist operations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

Speaking in front of US troops at an air station near San Diego, Mr Bush said the US was winning his war against terror.

"Our nation is waging a broad and unrelenting campaign against the global terror network, and we're winning,' he said.

Hambali is believed to have orchestrated several terrorist attacks in South East Asia, including last year's Bali nightclub bombings and this month's Marriott hotel attack in Jakarta.

Mr Bush looked to reassure the American public, saying: "He is no longer a problem to those of us who love freedom. And neither are nearly two-thirds of known senior al-Qaeda leaders, operational managers and key facilitators who have been captured or have been killed.'

The 36-year-old Indonesian is thought to be closely linked with Islamic unit, Jemaah Islamiah and Khaled Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged culprit behind the 2001 September 11 atrocities and

Hambali was arrested in Thailand and was suspected of planning an attack on the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation forum summit in October, according to Thailand's Nation newspaper.

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