Noordin Mohammad Top

Who was Noordin Mohammad Top?

Noordin Mohammad Top, of Malaysian citizenship, was a Muslim extremist, also referred to as Din Moch Top, Muh Top, or Mat Top, and Indonesia's most wanted Islamist militant. Born in Kluang, Johor, Malaysia, he is thought to have been a key bomb maker and/or financier for Jemaah Islamiyah and to have left JI and set up a more violent splinter group Tanzim Qaedat al-Jihad. Noordin was reported by the FBI to be "an explosives expert". The FBI also has reported him to be "an officer, recruiter, bomb maker and trainer for the Jemaah Islamiah group."

Noordin and Azahari Husin were thought to have masterminded the 2003 JW Marriott hotel bombing in Jakarta, the 2004 Australian embassy bombing in Jakarta, the 2005 Bali bombings and the 2009 JW Marriott - Ritz-Carlton bombings, and Noordin may have assisted in the 2002 Bali Bombings.

Noordin, allegedly nicknamed "Money man", was an indoctrinator who was specialised in recruiting militants into becoming suicide bombers and collecting funds for militant activities.

Having long since been 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.