Noordin Mohammad Top

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Mohammad Top is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Noordin.
Noordin Mohammad Top
Noordin's FBI Photo
Born(1968-08-11)11 August 1968
Kluang, Johor, Malaysia
Died17 September 2009(2009-09-17) (aged 41)
Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia
Occupation(s)Financier, alleged trainer of the splinter group of Jemaah Islamiyah and Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid
Criminal statusDeceased (2009)
SpouseMunfiatun
Criminal penaltyNone

Noordin Mohammad Top (11 August 1968 – 17 September 2009) was a Malaysian Muslim extremist. He was also referred to as Noordin, Din Moch Top, Muh Top, Top M or Mat Top. Until his death, he was Indonesia's most wanted Islamist militant.[1][2]

Born in Kluang, Johor, Malaysia, he is thought to have been a key bomb-maker and/or financier, for Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) along with Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT), and to have left it, setting up the more violent splinter group Tanzim Qaedat al-Jihad.[3] Noordin was reported by the FBI to be "an explosives expert", and "an officer, recruiter, bomb maker and trainer for the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) group."[4]

Once in Indonesia, he married using the assumed name Abdurrachman Aufi. His wife, Munfiatun, was jailed in June 2005, for concealing information about his whereabouts.[5]

Noordin and Azahari Husin were thought to have masterminded various bombings across Indonesia, mostly in early 2000s.[6]

Noordin may also have assisted in the earlier Philippine consulate bombing in Jakarta, Jakarta Stock Exchange bombing, Christmas Eve 2000 Indonesia bombings and 2002 Bali bombings[7] Noordin (allegedly nicknamed Money man) was an indoctrinator specialising in recruiting militants as suicide bombers, and in collecting funds for militant activities.[8] Long after first being declared as wanted by Malaysian and Indonesian authorities, he was added to the FBI's third major wanted list in 2006. FBI Seeking Information - War on Terrorism list.[9] He was killed during a police raid (by Indonesia's anti-terrorist unit Densus 88) in Solo, Central Java, conducted on 17 September 2009.[10]

  1. ^ "Q+A: Noordin Mohammad Top and Islamic militancy in Indonesia". Reuters. 17 September 2009.
  2. ^ "Indonesian police say militant Noordin Top is dead", The Washington Post, 17 September 2009.
  3. ^ "The Australian". Theaustralian.news.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 October 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  4. ^ "Fugitive linked to Jakarta blasts". BBC News. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  5. ^ BBC Profile: Noordin Mohamed Top, bbc.co.uk; accessed 23 August 2015.
  6. ^ "FACTBOX: Five facts about Islamic militant Noordin Top". Reuters. 5 December 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  7. ^ "Sydney Morning Herald". Smh.com.au. 18 September 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  8. ^ Bali bombings: 'Demolition Man,' 'Moneyman' key suspects, Rediff India Abroad, 3 October 2005.
  9. ^ "Seeking Information Alert for Top". Fbi.gov. 4 April 1979. Archived from the original on 9 July 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  10. ^ Sukarsono, Achmad; Kate, Daniel Ten (17 September 2009). "Noordin, Southeast Asian Terrorist Leader, Is Dead". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 17 September 2009.