Police Arrests 17 Terrorist Suspects with Links to Terrorist Groups

TheIndonesia.co - The National Police's counterterrorism unit Detachment 88, or Densus 88, has confirmed the arrest of 17 terrorist suspects in three provinces with links to terrorist groups Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD).

National Police’s spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ahmad Ramadhan said on Monday, July 25, that 17 individuals had been arrested for terrorism offences.

“We can update that we have arrested 17 terrorist suspects,” Ramadhan said, as reported by Antara, adding that 13 individuals were arrested in Aceh, three were arrested in North Sumatra, while another one was arrested in Riau.

Police has previously confirmed that 11 people arrested in Aceh were affiliated with JI and the remaining two were linked to JAD.

All of the 11 individuals were part of JI’s education and recruitment unit. One of the suspects ES hosted a weapon training at their house in 2018 and owned a PCP gun. Meanwhile, suspect RU was part of charitable body Madina Foundation which was set up to be one of JI’s sources of funding.

Other suspects were tasked with different responsibilities within the JI structure.

Meanwhile, the two individuals with links to JAD were RI, who facilitated members of JAD Medan who were involved in suicide bombing at Medan Police headquarters in 2019, and MA, who also played a role in the same attack.