By Karishma Vaswani
BBC News, Jakarta
**Hundreds of protesters in central Java have demonstrated against plans to bury three suspected Islamist militants in their home towns.**The protesters said they did not want their villages to be seen as hotbeds of terror.
The three men were killed in a police raid in the Central Java town of Solo, along with one of South East Asia’s most wanted men, Noordin Mohamed Top.
The Indonesian authorities had been searching for Noordin for years.
A Malaysian citizen, he was believed to have been involved in the twin hotel bombings in Jakarta in July, as well other deadly attacks across the archipelago.
Java protests
The bodies of the three suspected militants are expected to be taken to their villages in Central Java in the next few days.
Funeral services have been planned in the traditional Muslim style - but village heads have asked the families of the three men to keep the ceremonies small and quiet so they do not attract unnecessary attention.
NOORDIN MOHAMED TOP
- Born in Malaysia, fled to Indonesia after 9/11
- Wanted over bombings on Bali in 2005 and other attacks
- Said to have split from Jemaah Islamiah and set up new group
- Main accomplice Azahari Husin killed by police in 2005
- Escaped police raid in 2006 and continues to evade capture
At least 500 young Indonesians, carrying banners and placards with slogans saying “we reject terrorist burials in Solo” took to the streets protesting against the burial plans, saying their villages should not be seen as resting places for militants.
They told the BBC they would continue their demonstrations to ensure the funerals did not go ahead.
They say the three men, accused of murdering innocent people, had damaged the image of Islam.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, has been hit by a string of attacks since the early part of this decade.
Many Westerners - believed to be the main targets - died in the attacks, but so did many Indonesians.
Analysts say this has led to widespread criticism of radical Islam.
Many moderate Muslims have spoken out against the growth of fundamentalism in Indonesia.