JAKARTA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- One of the terrorist suspects arrested in Palembang of Indonesia's South Sumatra province earlier this week was a group member of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and had spread his expertise of making bombs, Indonesia's National Police chief General Sutanto said here Friday.

    The 35-year old Singaporean with initial "MH" was captured in Palembang on Tuesday along with eight other terrorist suspects.

    He got his expertise from two key leaders of the regional militant group of JI Noerdin Moh. Top and the slain Azhari Hussin, Sutanto told reporters at the police headquarters here. Both leaders had played key roles in major explosions in Indonesia from2000 to 2005 that killed over 250 people.

    Hussin was killed in a shoot-out in Java Island in 2005 and Topis still at large. Top is a coordinator for recruitment and the strategist of the group.

    The police chief said MH had taught his expertise of making bomb to some other Palembang citizens.

    When asked whether MH was a pupil of Top, Sutanto said,"Yes, He was among the pupils."

    The general said MH was a member of JI in Singapore led by Mas Selamat Kastari who is in fugitive now.

    The Southeast Asia region had been hit by a series of terroristattacks from 2000 to 2005 that killed hundreds of people. The JI was widely believed behind the deadly attacks.