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While the National Police were euphoric over their success in killing the region’s most wanted terrorist, Malaysian-born Noordin M. Top, others were critical of the way the police handled the case or raised doubts about its effectiveness in weakening terrorism.

A police raid on a house on the outskirts of Solo in Central Java near midnight on Wednesday ended up as an eight-hour siege, with four left dead and one policemen wounded. The dead were identified as Noordin, bomb expert Aryo Sudarso aka Aji, Bagus Budi Pranoto and Hadi Susilo.

A pregnant woman, identified as Munawaroh, the wife of Susilo, was also wounded.

Visibly pleased National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri, speaking during the news conference, said the antiterror squad “will never cease in its efforts to make citizens feel secure and safe from violence and suicide bombings.”

Bambang’s announcement that Noordin, who has been able to elude arrest for seven years, was among the fatalities, was greeted with cries of joy and applause.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono thanked police but warned that although the two top wanted terrorists — Noordin and his compatriot Azahari Husin, who was killed in a raid in 2005 — were now dead , “it does not mean that terrorist organizations operating in Southeast Asia and Indonesia have all been deactivated.”

He said the government would strive to eradicate the root cause of terrorism — poverty and backwardness — by stepping up development and education, both formal and religious. “Immobilizing [terrorists] just means we have won a battle, but by prevention, we will win the war against terrorism,” Yudhoyono said.

Amidhan, the chairman of Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), praised the police for killing Noordin and his accomplices just days ahead of Idul Fitri. “This is a Lebaran gift for the people of Indonesia,” he said.

But Patra M. Zen, who chairs the Indonesian Legal Institute, or LBH, said the police had violated human rights principles. “There was an unnecessary victim in the attack, a pregnant woman,” Patra said. “The police should investigate how the woman was shot.”

Bambang said he was proud his men had also got Aji, a wanted bomb expert who had been Azahari’s disciple.

However, Irfan Suryadi Awwas, leader of the Indonesian Mujahideen Council founded by hard-line cleric Abubakar Bashir, said that what police claimed to be a success would not stop terrorism in Indonesia.

“They should have captured Noordin alive,” Awwas said. “What is the use of getting him if he can no longer reveal significant information.”

Awwas also said the police seemed to disregard the fate of innocent bystanders in trying to achieve their aims.

“They are using the American way in dealing with terrorism, just shoot them dead.”

Bambang said police knew a pregnant woman was in the house but several warnings for those inside to come out and
surrender had fallen on deaf ears and shots were fired on the police instead.

Ikrar Nusa Bakti, a political analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said he hoped the raid’s timing was not aimed at revamping the police’s image, which is suffering from its dispute with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). “I hope it was not to cover up the big mistake of trying to weaken the KPK’s authority,” he said.