Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) – Ten men and one woman, who were arrested in May this year for allegedly plotting suicide bombings at several churches in Merauke district, were flown to Jakarta on a chartered aircraft on Thursday morning, said police.
The aircraft carrying the suspects stopped over in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province, en route to Jakarta, Papua police chief, Insp.Gen.Mathius D. Fakhiri, said.
The case involving the suspects, who were apprehended on May 28, 2021, will be handled by the National Police’s counterterrorism squad, Densus 88, he told journalists after National Police Day (Hari Bhayangkara) commemorations on Thursday.
The suspects have been identified by their initials as AK, SB, ZR, UAT, DS, SD, SR, YPK, SW, AP, and IK, he said.
Two of the suspects, identified as AP and IK, are married and their six-month old baby was flown with them to Jakarta, he informed.
Earlier, while informing the press about their arrests, Fakhiri had said that Densus 88 had confiscated several goods from the suspects, including sharp weapons and firearms.
Police have accused them of plotting suicide bombings at several churches in the sub-districts of Merauke, Jagebob, Kurik, Semangga, and Tanah Tinggi.
The suspects were apprehended before they could carry out their plans, said police adding, they had frequently visited Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province.
Several of them may have links with the Makassar suicide bombing case, Fakhiri said.
Indonesia has been a target of terrorist attacks since 2000, and the spread of radicalism and terrorism has continued to pose a threat to the nation.
On March 28, 2021, two suicide bombers with alleged links to the JAD network had blown themselves up using a pressure cooker bomb outside a church on Kajaolalido road in the Baru neighborhood of Makassar.
The bombers had tried to enter the church compound after a Palm Sunday Mass service, but had been stopped by security guards at the gate.
At least 20 people, including churchgoers and the security guards, had been injured in the blast, which took place around 10:30 a.m. local time.
The suicide bombers had died shortly after the attack.
Over the past six months, Papua has witnessed a string of deadly attacks, with Papuan separatists targeting civilians in districts such as Puncak and Intan Jaya.
The armed groups often employ hit-and-run tactics against Indonesian security personnel and unleash acts of terror against civilians to create fear among the people.
Ojek drivers, teachers, students, and street food vendors are among those who have fallen victim to such acts of terror. The armed groups have even targeted civilian aircraft. (INE)
Source: Antara News