Police in West Java Nab Four Linked to Last Week's Bandung Explosion
Jakarta. Throughout this week, police in West Java have rounded up four suspected militants who had allegedly planned to launch a string of bomb attacks, a police spokesman said on Friday (14/07).
All of the arrested have reportedly been linked to last weekend's explosion of a pressure-cooker bomb in Bandung, at a house of a bomb maker who was initially considered a "lone-wolf" militant.
The bomb maker, Agus Wiguna, 22, who had allegedly planned to use the bomb to attack a popular Bandung cafe, was immediately nabbed after the explosion.
The most recent arrests were of 23-year-old Ramlan Suryadi and 24-year-old Adri Rosidi, who are suspected of knowing Agus's plot, and of Kodar, 26, and Ade Arif Suryana, 28, who had allegedly been helping Agus in assembling bombs.
According to police investigators, the arrested had earlier attempted to construct two explosive devices, West Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus told the Jakarta Globe.
He said the bigger one, weighing about 1.5 kilograms, Agus tried to detonate at a restaurant in Bandung.
"It was placed inside the restaurant but failed to explode. He threw it somewhere but we haven't found it," Yusri said.
The arrested had also planned an assault on a Catholic church in Bandung, with another flawed bomb, Yusri said.
"He tried once more, but failed again. It only emitted smoke."
Investigations revealed the five men had learned to assemble bombs from the internet. Police said they also found Agus's handwritten letter, in which he pledges allegiance to the Islamic State group.
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