Indonesian police have new most wanted militant

SEMARANG, Indonesia, Jun 4 (Reuters) Indonesia has a new most wanted militant suspect, Abu Dujana, who heads a splinter group of Southeast Asian militant group Jemaah Islamiah (JI), the country's deputy police chief said today.

Dujana has replaced Noordin M Top, a Malaysian national considered a mastermind behind a series of bombing attacks, as Indonesia's most wanted fugitive, deputy police chief Makbul Padmanegara told reporters.

After a recent crackdown, police revealed that Dujana had emerged as the head of a military wing of the group after the death in 2005 of master bomb-maker Azahari Husin.

''We previously held Noordin M Top as our most wanted man but as it turns out Abu Dujana has become more of a priority, although we are still looking for Noordin M Top,'' Padmanegara said.

Asian and Western authorities blame Jemaah Islamiah for a series of attacks in Southeast Asia, including the 2002 bombings that killed more than 200 people on the resort island of Bali.

Police have previously said Dujana has direct control over the group's ammunition and explosives, including distribution and storage.

In the March raids, police said they also found a huge cache of weapons, explosives and chemicals that could be used to make a bomb larger than the main device used in the 2002 Bali blasts.

Dujana is wanted in connection with several deadly bombings including the 2004 Australian embassy blast and a car bombing at the JW Marriot hotel in Jakarta a year earlier.

Although there has not been a major bomb attack since 2005, Padmanegara said Indonesia still faced a considerable threat from Islamic militants.

''We will continue to look for fugitives even though it is unclear as to whether they are still in Indonesia,'' said Padmanegara, adding that he was certain that Dujana had not fled the country.

REUTERS AE ND1832