Indonesia’s National Police’s Densus 88 anti-terror squad has apprehended a fugitive wanted in connection to the first Bali bombing who was on the run for 18 years.

A special task force detained Zulkarnaen, 57, in Purbolinggo, East Lampung, on December 10, the police announced over the weekend. “We have arrested without resistance [the fugitive] on the wanted list,” National Police spokesman Inspector General Argo Yuwono said, as quoted by kompas.com.

Zulkarnaen, who went by other names, including Aris Sumarsono, Daud, Zaenal Arifin and Abdulrahman, held a key role in the first Bali bombing in 2002.

“Zulkarnaen was the Jamaah Islamiyah [JI] military commander during the first Bali bombing,” the police spokesman said, in reference to the al-Qaeda-linked extremist network that masterminded the 2002 attack.

On October 12 of that year, three bombs exploded at Paddy’s Pub and the Sari Club in Kuta, Bali, killing 202 people and injuring 209 more. Among the deceased were 164 foreigners from 24 countries. Bombs also exploded on Jalan Hayam Wuruk in Denpasar, near the US Consulate General, but did not cause any casualties.

Zulkarnaen is alleged to have hidden Upik Lawangan, also known as Taufik Bulaga or Udin, from the authorities.

Upik was known for his ability to create highly explosive bombs and was thought to be the successor of Azahari Husin, the Malaysian technical mastermind of the first Bali bombing. Azahari died during a Densus 88 raid at his hideout in Batu, near Malang, East Java on November 9, 2005.

THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK