Yogyakarta Church Assailant Once Planned to Wage Jihad in Syria: Police Chief
Jakarta. National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said on Monday (12/02) that the assailant of the Catholic Church Saint Lidwina in Sleman, Yogyakarta, the previous day was a violent religious extremist who previously had plans to travel to Syria to join jihadists fighting there.
Tito said he has ordered anti-terror unit Detachment 88 and regional police to investigate the assailant, Suliyanto, and his possible links to radical groups, BeritaSatu.com reported.
Suliyanto, wielding two swords, attacked a Sunday morning mass at the church, injuring four, including a priest and a police officer, before being shot by police. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment for non-life threatening injuries.
"The individual in question is originally from Banyuwangi [East Java] and has visited Poso, Central Sulawaesi; Magelang [East Java], and we believe that he has been impacted by radical ideology that has proven to be pro-violence," Tito said in Jakarta.
The police chief added that because Suliyanto failed to realize his plans to travel to Syria, "he finally committed amaliyah [act of seeking martyrdom] to attack 'infidels' based on his views."
Police are investigating whether the assailant acted alone or is part of a larger militant network.
Tito has asked Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto to cooperate in the investigation by providing intelligence.
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