August 2, 2024
JAKARTA – The police arrested an alleged terrorist in Batu, East Java on Wednesday evening, with the suspect allegedly planning to launch a bombing in houses of worship.
The National Police’s Densus 88 counterterrorism squad arrested the suspect, identified as a 19-year-old male with the initials HOK, at around 7:15 p.m. Investigators suspect that he is affiliated with the Daulah Islamiyah group that is linked to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization.
“From our investigation, we believe the suspect was planning to launch a suicide bombing attack against a house of worship,” National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said in a statement on Thursday, but he stopped short of mentioning which place of worship or the location of the suspect’s target.
Aside from HOK, Densus 88 personnel also arrested several other people.
After arresting the suspect, a joint team of Densus 88 and East Java Police conducted a search at a rental house in Batu on Thursday.
“The house was rented for two years. The suspect has only lived in it for 1.5 years,” Trunoyudo said.
During the search, investigators seized several pieces of evidence, including a bottle of liquid explosive, a slingshot and a jar of ball bearings.
The police charged HOK with violating the 2018 Terrorism Law that carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
Vice President Ma’ruf Amin expressed his appreciation for the National Police for arresting the suspect before he launched the attack “to prevent any casualties”, as written in a statement issued on Thursday.
He also lauded authorities’ efforts to foil terror acts in the country, calling the prevention measures carried out by various authorities effective.
“In the past, there were always explosions. There aren’t any now, are there?” Ma’ruf said.
Read also: Jemaah Islamiyah to be disbanded, say its senior leaders
The police have arrested several terror suspects in the country in recent years.
In January, Densus 88 personnel arrested at least 10 suspects in Central Java in a series of operations to secure the general election in February as well as the upcoming simultaneous regional elections in November.
Recently, senior members of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a militant network blamed for the fatal 2002 Bali bombing, announced the group’s disbandment.
In a video statement issued on June 30, whose authenticity was confirmed by the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC), JI leaders confirmed their commitment to the Indonesian state and law. They also said that all material taught in pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) affiliated with the group would be in line with orthodox Islam.
The Religious Affairs Ministry expressed appreciation for the police’s deradicalization program, which lead to the network’s disbandment while offering to provide guidance for the JI-affiliated schools across the country.
But some experts expressed concerns that some JI members might disagree with the disbandment and instead create a new splinter group. (kuk)