FED: Howard welcomes capture of Hambali
By Sandra O'Malley
AUCKLAND, Aug 15 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard today admitted he had been awarefor several days of the capture of terrorist mastermind Hambali, which he described asa major breakthrough in the fight against terrorism.
Speaking to reporters before heading to the traditional day of retreat at the PacificIslands Forum, Mr Howard said the arrest of Hambali was very good news.
US officials yesterday announced the capture of Hambali, whose real name is Riduanbin Isomuddin, who is wanted over the Bali bombings last year.
The Kuta blasts on October 12 killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
Hambali is believed to be a key leader of the radical group Jemaah Islamiah (JI), theSouth-East Asian terror group linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network.
"There should be universal relief and pleasure that a man as evil as Hambali has beencaught," Mr Howard said.
"This man is a very big fish.
"He is the main link between al-Qaeda and JI.
"He was almost certainly the ultimate mastermind of the Bali attack."
Coming on the heels of the recent death sentence for Bali bomber Amrozi, Mr Howardsaid it should add to victims' families' sense that justice was being done.
"To those relatives and friends of the 88 Australians who died in that outrage almosta year ago, this is, I hope, some further measure of justice," he said.
"I congratulate the Americans and I am sure that psychologically this capture willinflict a very heavy blow on the worldwide terrorist network."
Mr Howard confirmed he had been aware of the capture for several days although theUS only released the information yesterday.
"I've known about it for several days but I've wanted naturally to leave it to theAmericans to announce."
He was also cagey about revealing any further details of the arrest.
"There is some further detail of which I'm aware, obviously, but there's nothing tobe gained by going into that," Mr Howard said.
"When you're dealing with security matters you're not obliged to blurt everything outthat you know immediately you hear it.
"That doesn't help anybody, in fact it only helps the terrorists."
Hambali is believed to have been captured in Thailand during the week.
US officials have said he was being interrogated in US custody at a secret location.
AAP so/cat
KEYWORD: TERROR HAMBALI HOWARD LEAD
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