The National Police’s counterterrorism unit, Detachment 88, arrested 13 people in Riau and Banten on Friday (27/07). One of the detained works at state utility company Perushaan Listrik Negara, or PLN.
The arrested are reportedly affiliated with the Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) terrorist network, which was responsible for recent attacks in East Java, Riau and the deadly riot at the Police Mobile Brigade headquarters in Depok, West Java, two months ago.
The operation was possible as the country’s new anti-terrorism laws were passed in May, after two years of deliberations, following a series of suicide attacks on churches in Surabaya, East Java, which killed 25 people and wounded more than 50.
The revised legislation allows police to detain without trial anyone suspected of planning an attack for up to 21 days for an initial examination, and for up to 200 days for formal investigation.
In accordance with the new law, those who join or recruit others for terrorist organizations can also be prosecuted.
Police said eight suspects, caught in Banten, were the network’s recruiters and participants of its military training.
“There is AD who was arrested in Lebak, as he once declared joining ISIS and became a recruiter and military training instructor. There is also ARM who was arrested as he attended a meeting at Pesantren Batu in Malang, East Java, to discuss attacks on Christmas and New Year,” National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. M. Iqbal said in a statement, as reported by Beritasatu.
Meanwhile, the suspects arrested in Riau’s Pekanbaru were involved in the Brimob headquarters attack that killed five police officers.
One of the suspects, Ardansyah Daulay, works at PLN’s provincial office. He has been charged with funding JAD’s terrorist cell in Riau.
Source: Jakarta Globe
Photo courtesy of Reuters