2004 Palopo cafe bombing

{{Infobox civilian attack

|title =2004 Palopo cafe bombing

|partof =

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|location ={{flagicon|Indonesia|23px}} Palopo, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

|target =Sampoddo Indah Cafe

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|date =January 10, 2004

|time =10:30 pm

|timezone =UTC+8

|type =Improvised explosive device

|fatalities =4

|injuries =3

|victim =

|perps =Local Islamic militants

|perp =

|perpetrators=Jasmin bin Kasau
and three others.

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A cafe was bombe on January 10, 2004 in Palopo, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Occurring at 10:30 p.m. local time (UTC+8), an improvised explosive device beneath table number 11{{cite news|title=Deadly blast at Indonesian cafe|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2004-01-10/world/indonesia.bomb_1_deadly-blast-restive-aceh-province-bombing?_s=PM:WORLD|accessdate=23 July 2011|newspaper=CNN World|date=10 January 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123061155/http://articles.cnn.com/2004-01-10/world/indonesia.bomb_1_deadly-blast-restive-aceh-province-bombing?_s=PM:WORLD|archive-date=23 November 2011|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Palopo blast aimed for 'jihad'|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/02/03/palopo-blast-aimed-039jihad039.html|accessdate=23 July 2011|newspaper=The Jakarta Post|date=3 February 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012091747/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/02/03/palopo-blast-aimed-039jihad039.html|archive-date=12 October 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} in the Sampoddo Indah karaoke cafe. The blast killed four people and injured three others.{{cite news|title=Four die in Indonesia cafe blast|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3386113.stm|accessdate=23 July 2011|newspaper=BBC|date=10 January 2004}} Four men, including Jasmin bin Kasau, were arrested for the bombings. Bin Kasau was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment{{cite news|title=Terrorist Bomber Breaks Out Of Jail|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641285459|accessdate=23 July 2011|newspaper=Sky News|date=24 September 2007}} but later escaped.

The attack

Witnesses reported that two men spent two weekends scouting the Sampoddo Indah Cafe located {{convert|4|km|mi}} from downtown Palopo on the road to Makassar, staying for a short period of time then leaving. On January 10, 2004, they returned and sat at table No. 11, located near the entrance, and ordered drinks, which they left unfinished.{{cite news|last=Hajramuni|first=Andi|title=Two men identified as Palopo bombers|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/01/12/two-men-identified-palopo-bombers.html|accessdate=24 July 2011|newspaper=The Jakarta Post|date=12 January 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012091828/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/01/12/two-men-identified-palopo-bombers.html|archive-date=12 October 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} A device, thought to have been remotely detonated,{{cite news|last=Darmosumarto|first=Sandy|title=Four Palopo bombing suspects arrested|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/01/30/four-palopo-bombing-suspects-arrested.html|accessdate=24 July 2011|newspaper=The Jakarta Post|date=30 January 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012091841/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/01/30/four-palopo-bombing-suspects-arrested.html|archive-date=12 October 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} exploded at 10:30 p.m. local time (UTC+8), from underneath that table.{{cite news|title=Bomb hits a cafe, 2 killed|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/01/11/bomb-hits-cafe-2-killed.html|accessdate=24 July 2011|newspaper=The Jakarta Post|date=11 January 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012091856/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/01/11/bomb-hits-cafe-2-killed.html|archive-date=12 October 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

The blast killed four people and injured three others. Three of the deceased, later identified as Abdul Rahman, Ambo, and Sumarni, 39, were residents of Palopo, while another, Suratman, was from another city. The explosion was heard up to {{convert|2|km|mi}} away. Most of the cafe's clients escaped through the back door prior to the arrival of the police.

Investigation

Two men were identified by the police after questioning 17 witnesses on the next day, with preliminary sketches. Eighteen days later, police arrested four suspects and charged them with the bombing. Another 10 suspects were sought, and police expressed that the suspects had participated in a Laskar Jihad-run training camp in Poso Regency, Central Sulawesi, together.

On February 1, Jasmin bin Kasau was arrested in Noling village, Luwu regency. He later confessed to the bombing, calling it "part of a jihad against vice in nightclubs and bars." Several pieces of evidence were seized from bin Kasau, including an FN MAG gun, some ammonium nitrate and several pipes. Bin Kasau, along with three accomplices, was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. However, bin Kasau later escaped from Gunungsari Penitentiary, Makassar, in 2007.{{cite news|last=Hajramurni|first=Andi|title=Convicted terrorist escapes from Makassar penitentiary|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2007/09/24/convicted-terrorist-escapes-makassar-penitentiary.html-0|accessdate=24 July 2011|newspaper=The Jakarta Post|date=24 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012091917/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2007/09/24/convicted-terrorist-escapes-makassar-penitentiary.html-0|archive-date=12 October 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}