How An Al-Qaeda Bigwig Got Nabbed

With the arrest of Asian terrorism chief Hambali, the U.S. closes in on bin Laden's inner circle

As the most wanted fugitive in Southeast Asia, Riduan Isamuddin was used to a life on the run. For most of the past two years, he hopscotched across Asia, slipping in and out of Pakistan, Indonesia and Thailand, hiding in safe houses and eluding pursuers from several countries, including the U.S. During that time, Isamuddin--known as Hambali, al-Qaeda's top operative in Asia--allegedly masterminded a string of terrorist attacks, including last October's nightclub bombings in Bali and the bombing of the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta this month. Two weeks ago, Hambali moved into a one-bedroom apartment in Ayutthaya, Thailand, a tranquil,...

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