CLUES: One of the suspects (above) nabbed in Saturday's raid. Indonesian police believe the suspects could lead them to fugitives Mas Selamat Kastari (next picture) and Noordin Top (picture three). -- PHOTOS: REUTERS

View more photos

Some newspapers here reported that Mas Selamat, who escaped from a Singapore detention centre in February, had slipped into Indonesia but police here remain sceptical.

Inspector-General Abu Bakar said: 'We have not received any indications that he is in the country but we are still keeping a lookout.'

The Singaporean suspect, Mohamed Hassan, 35, is being interrogated by the anti-terror police brigade, Detachment 88.

Although it was earlier reported that he was still in Palembang, where the suspects were rounded up, sources told The Straits Times that he had been transferred to Jakarta but the authorities refused to confirm that.

Police spokesman Abu Bakar Nataprawira told The Straits Times: 'Our investigators are still interrogating the suspect to track down the network and his contacts.'

Sources said that the Singaporean could have information that would help police track down Noordin, the Malaysian extremist who allegedly masterminded the Bali bombings and other attacks in Indonesia since 2002.

Mohamed Hassan, also known as Taslim, Omar or Abu Hazam, met Noordin, the alleged chief of the most extreme faction of Jemaah Islamiah, on numerous occasions.

Thus, he may have some knowledge of the whereabouts of his associate, Mas Selamat.

According to terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna, Mohamed Hassan was part of a five-man team that planned to hijack a plane from Bangkok and crash it into Changi Airport in early 2002.

'He was working almost as a deputy to Mas Selamat in the plan,' said Dr Gunaratna, author of the book Inside Al-Qaeda - Global Network of Terror.

'His capture clearly demonstrates that there continues to be a threat of terrorism to Singapore.'

But Jakarta-based security consultant Ken Conboy told The Straits Times that he was not optimistic Mas Selamat would be found quickly.

'The Mas Selamat gang we're talking about is pre-2001,' he said. 'After 2001, there is no such thing as a Mas Selamat gang as all its members began to run in all directions.'

Mr Conboy was referring to the Internal Security Department's (ISD) dragnet of December 2001, which resulted in the arrests of 13 JI members, including Ibrahim Maidin, who was the Singapore JI leader before Mas Selamat.

Mohamed Hassan also escaped the dragnet but his brother, Mohamed Hussain, was detained by the ISD last year.

Mr Conboy said that there is no indication that Mohamed Hassan has made contact with Mas Selamat recently.

It was not known how long Mohamed Hassan had been living in South Sumatra. The police spokesman said that Mohamed Hassan was given refuge by the headmaster of Pesantren Al-Furqon Baitussafah, an Islamic boarding school.

The headmaster, Ani Sugandi, 42, has military experience in Afghanistan and is among the 10 suspects now in custody.

Mohamed Hassan is known in Sekayu village near Palembang as Fazar Taslim bin Syainuddin, an English-language teacher at a private school, Cambrichindo International English Centre.

According to reports on private station TV One and in Kompas daily yesterday, he gave English and Quran reading lessons to some children in the neighbourhood.

He had been living in the villages near Palembang for the past two years, moving seven times before his arrest on Saturday.

He is said to have two young children, and his wife is believed to be pregnant.

The Indonesian police said that the Singaporean suspect would be prosecuted in Indonesia before Jakarta could consider any extradition request from Singapore.

National police chief General Sutanto said yesterday: 'The suspect is being investigated for alleged violation of our (anti-terrorism) law. Whoever breaks our law, including foreigners, will be prosecuted under our law.'

salim@sph.com.sg