Assailants stole police weapons for terrorist activity: Police

Weapons stolen during a fatal police shooting last week would likely be used for other terrorist activities, authorities say.

Four men gunned down a group of police stationed outside a bank in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Wednesday. Two of the three officers died in the attack.

During the subsequent investigation, police discovered two of the officers’ guns were missing.

The attackers planned to use the guns for future robberies, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam said Monday.

“They’ll rob anything, whether it’s jewelry shops or businesspeople," he said.

He added that another police weapon, an SS1-V2 medium-barreled rifle, was also missing.

Previously police had said only one weapon was missing.

"We have reclaimed one of the stolen weapons, but the other is still missing," he said.

Anton further added that the assailants had stolen the weapons in an effort to collect “as many firearms as possible”.

The firearms would be used in terrorist activities including armed robberies to fund their activities, he said.