Indonesia arrests 59 terror suspects for plotting attacks on election
They are allegedly linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
JAKARTA: Indonesia's counterterrorism force said they had arrested 59 suspected terrorists allegedly linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State over suspected plots to disrupt the upcoming presidential election in February next year.
The police unit, Densus 88, made the arrests in October, said its spokesman Aswin Siregar during a press conference in Jakarta, it has been reported.
They also confiscated weapons, bombmaking chemicals and propaganda material, said Siregar.
“I think this served as a warning for them that Densus 88 wouldn't tolerate the slightest threat to our domestic security, especially...leading to...the election,'" he was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Forty of the 59 suspects were from the pro-Islamic State Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), who allegedly were planning an attack on the presidential elections.
“They planned to undermine or disrupt the electoral process, believing that democracy contradicts their faith, thus motivating them to prevent the elections,” Aswin reportedly said, adding the suspects also allegedly targeted security and election officials.
The other 19 were tied to Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), which has links to al-Qaeda, said Siregar.
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.