North Sumatra and Aceh Police are investigating the reported disappearance of 10 students believed to have been recruited by alleged terrorists fighting for the establishment of an Islamic state in Indonesia.
The case came to light when relatives of the students reported their disappearance to North Sumatra Police on Monday.
The students, who were active participants in radical Islamic forums, studied in Medan and were last heard from last year.
Their whereabouts remain unknown.
Some of the students were identified as Nurhidayah from Jl. Pelita IV Medan, Mawaddah from Jl. Karya Darma, Tanjung Balai city, Gusti Khairani from Medan Perjuangan, Deyolanti from Jl. Perkebunan Sipare-Pare, Kiki Amalia and Dori Israwani Siregar. They were all students at North Sumatra University’s Polytechnic and Medan State University.
North Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Oegroseno said Tuesday that they were working with Aceh Police to follow up on the missing persons reports.
He added that police had not ascertained whether the students were abducted by terrorists, as has been speculated.
“Police have not determined who the abductors are. We are working with Aceh Police because the students were recruited in Aceh,” Oegroseno told The Jakarta Post.
For Bachtiar Sihombing, the father of Nurhidayah, this is the second time his daughter has disappeared.
“She disappeared for several months before being found with six other female students in September last year in Langsa, East Aceh. She has been missing now for three months,” he said.
Bachtiar recalled a change in his daughter’s personality, saying she had become quiet.
“My daughter was brainwashed. She was indoctrinated with particular teachings and her behavior changed drastically,” Bachtiar said Tuesday.
Asked whether alleged terrorists were behind the disappearance, he said it was possible and expressed hope that the police investigation would solve the case.
Bachtiar said when he picked up his daughter from Langsa, he noticed one of the group members who he later recognized as M. Jabbar.
Jabbar was arrested by Aceh Police during a raid in Percut Sei Tuan district, Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra, in the middle of March.
Jabbar is believed to be a member of a terror cell and was responsible for recruiting young members from various provinces.
“I hope police will be able to find my daughter and arrest the group that recruited her,” Bachtiar said.
In early March, police arrested 14 members of the terrorist group in Lamkabeu, Aceh Besar.
