National Police Arrest 40 Alleged Terrorists Ahead of Idul Fitri Holiday
Jakarta. National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian has confirmed the arrest of 40 suspected terrorists following last month's suicide bomb attack in East Jakarta.
Tito said he placed the police on high alert ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday over concerns of possible terrorist attacks.
The National Police's counterterrorism unit, Densus 88, also detained a middleman who sent radical fighters to the Philippines.
"Since the [suicide] bombing in Kampung Melayu [in East Jakarta], we have detained 40 men. They are either connected with the bombing, or separated in their own planning," Tito said on Thursday (22/06).
He added that Densus 88 arrested two men in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, on Saturday. They are suspected of having planned a bomb attack on a police station in Wahom.
"For example, in Bima, they were planning to attack a police station. They were arrested with the bomb in their possession. Then there were several other arrests in Central Java and East Java, where we also found explosives," Tito said.
Arrests were also made in Bandung in West Java, Banten, Malang in East Java, Surabaya, Temanggung and Kendal in Central Java, Jambi and in Medan in North Sumatra.
Many of the suspects are members of the extremist Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State.
Indonesia has experienced a series of terrorist attacks since four JAD militants launched an attack in Central Jakarta on Jan. 14 last year. IS claimed responsibility for that attack and also for the one in Kampung Melayu.
Tito earlier said he had ordered Densus 88 to ensure that security is "super tight" and to be prepared to conduct pre-emptive strikes.
"So, we will act quickly if there is any indication [of a terrorist plot]," the police chief said.
Tags: Keywords: