Indonesian counter-terrorism police today said they have arrested a Malaysian in connection with a suicide bomb attack on a Jakarta hotel in which 12 people were killed.

Brigadier General Pranowo said the man, identified as Saptu Roni, is alleged to have withheld information about the August 2003 blast at the US-franchised JW Marriott hotel.

The attack is blamed on the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah group.

He said the Malaysian, who was arrested in July, had forged immigration documents by using fictitious names to facilitate his stay in Indonesia.

His arrest follows more than a dozen arrests and convictions in connection with the bombing.

An Indonesian named Ismail, alias Mohammad Ikhwan, last month received the highest sentence of 12 years for his role in the hotel bombing. Ismail was allegedly acting under orders from two Malaysians - Azahari Husin and Noordin Mohammed Top.

They are also the prime suspects in the Sept 9 truck bombing outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta which killed nine people, and are also suspected of involvement in the 2002 Bali bombings which killed 202.