18 terror suspects nabbed ahead of Christmas in Indonesia
They were allegedly from several different terrorist groups.
JAKARTA: Eighteen terror suspects were arrested in Indonesia in December or ahead of the 2023 Christmas celebrations, said the nation’s police chief.
"We have arrested 18 people who we are currently under in-depth investigation by Densus friends," Listyo Sigit Prabowo Sigit was quoted as saying by Antara News on the sidelines of a security review for Christmas celebrations at the Cathedral Church in Jakarta on Sunday.
He was referring to Densus 88, Indonesia’s counterterror police force.
The four-star police general said that things that could disrupt the smooth running of worship and social security were of concern to the national police.
He said the national police together with the military are ready to secure the 2023 Christmas celebrations until the New Year 2024 that also involves social organisations.
During the 2024 Christmas and New Year celebrations, he said, the national police hold Operation Candle 2023.
"We secured approximately 39,495 churches throughout Indonesia. Meanwhile, there were approximately 55,095 Christmas services…of course this is part of what we have to secure," said Sigit.
Sigit said he and the military toured several churches, one of which was the Cathedral Church, to ensure that the entire series of security measures for the Christmas Mass were carried out safely both in terms of the readiness of the members and the worship itself.
"What we hope is that no one will be disturbed in carrying out the Christmas Mass celebration," said Sigit.
Separately, the spokesperson for Densus 88, Aswin Siregar, reportedly said that the 18 terrorist suspects mentioned by Sigit were arrested in a number of areas.
He detailed that the 18 terrorist suspects consisted of 12 people arrested in Central Java, three suspects in Banten, one in West Java, one suspect in Central Kalimantan and one in North Sumatra.
The suspects came from different networks such as three suspects arrested in Banten from the Islamic State of Indonesia and 12 in Central Java from Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and Jemaah Ansharud Dawlah (JAD).
JAD was blamed for a series of suicide bombings in recent years in Indonesia and the southern Philippines.
JI was tagged in the 2002 Bali bombings and 2003 Jakarta Marriott hotel bombing.