Is this TRUE? Hope so !

It was only a few days ago that I had blogged about this wanted terrorist who carried a huge bounty price on his head. My purpose was to highlight to one and all that as long as he remains free...no tourists can feel safe in SE Asia, especially in Indonesia.

The latest reports, including this from S Times Online Breaking news citing Indonesia's Police Chief..."appears "to confirm Nordin Top is dead.
I use "appear" base on previous flip-flop versions of the last shooting incident in Central Java.
We shall have to wait and see if really Nordin Top was consigned to the dustbin of history.


Sept 17, 2009
Terror mastermind killed

National Police Chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri holds up finger print samples of wanted terror mastermind Noordin Mohammed Top during a press conference in Jakarta. -- PHOTO: AFP

KEPUH SARI (Indonesia) - ARMED Indonesian police stormed an Islamic militant hideout early Thursday in a raid that killed wanted terror mastermind Noordin Mohammed Top and three other militants, police said.
VIDEO
Indonesian police: Top is dead(1:35)
INDONESIAN police raided a house in Central Java on Wednesday in their hunt for most-wanted militant Noordin Mohammad Top, and said they had killed four people and captured another three.
Malaysian-born Top is believed to be the mastermind behind the suicide attacks on two luxury Jakarta hotels on July 17.

Noordin narrowly missed in an Aug raid.
NOORDIN allegedly also masterminded a 2003 attack on the Marriott that killed 12 people, as well as the 2004 bombing of the Australian embassy and 2005 attacks on tourist restaurants on the holiday island of Bali.
Police believe they narrowly missed Noordin in a dramatic televised raid in August on a safehouse in Temanggung, Central Java.
Noordin's body was among four recovered after the early morning raid on a village house in Central Java, national police chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri told reporters, bringing to an end an exhaustive six-year manhunt.
'From national police doctors' examinations... and finger prints sent by Malaysian police, thank God on this holy month of Ramadan - it's Noordin M Top,' Mr Bambang said to applause.
Loud explosions and gunfire were heard as police raided the rented house at around sunrise after a nine-hour siege on the outskirts of Solo city, a stronghold of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) radical network. The raid left the simple house in the lush, densely populated region a burnt-out shell.
Mr Bambang said police from Special Detachment 88 launched the raid after interrogating two Noordin acolytes arrested nearby on Wednesday afternoon.
'Despite repeated warnings to surrender there was a firefight. A motorcycle was hit, caught fire and they took refuge by huddling in the bathroom,' Mr Bambang said. 'But our men breached the wall as morning prayers came, at around 5 or 6 am we carried out a quick operation in three hours and we managed to disable them.'
He said those killed along with Noordin were 'expert bomb-maker' Bagus Budi Pranoto, alias Urwah, close Noordin associate Ario Sudarso, alias Aji, and the renter of the house, Susilo. He said two men were also arrested and Susilo's wife, who was wounded in the raid, was also in custody.
Police spokesman Nanan Soekarna said: '(At the house) we found weapons, grenades and eight sacks of explosive material.'
Lawmaker Sidarto, a member of the national parliament's security committee, said he and other lawmakers had been allowed to see the bodies of the four slain militants.
'Today, God willing, the radical movement has been disabled. One of the biggest terrorist masterminds, Noordin M Top has been shot,' he said. 'There were signs that pointed to it being Noordin M Top, such as a big mole on the left side of his nose,' he said. -- AFP