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fficers from the National Police's Densus 88 counterterrorism unit arrested two alleged bomb makers in Purwokerto, Central Java, on Tuesday, a spokesman said.

The suspects, identified as Samidi alias Arifin and Slamet Pilih Utomo, were linked to Badri Hartono, who plotted a bomb attack in Surakarta, Central Java, last year, National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said.

'A Densus 88 squad arrested Samidi in Bancarkembar, Purwokerto, while Slamet was apprehended in Serengan, Surakarta. They are known to be nitroglycerin bomb experts,' Boy said at the National Police headquarters in South Jakarta on Tuesday.

Samidi and Slamet were taken to Jakarta for interrogation. Police found nitroglycerin bombs allegedly made by the men when arresting Badri in September.

'Badri's group has networked with Santoso. Both of them have been involved in terrorist paramilitary training in Poso, Central Sulawesi,' Boy said, referring to Santoso, a terrorist mastermind from Poso.

Separately, one police officer was critically injured on Monday night when police shot dead a man identified as Irwan a.k.a Salim after he attempted to bomb police in Tasikmalaya, West Java.

Provincial police spokesman Sr. Cmr. Martinus Sitompul said on Tuesday in Bandung that the bomb Irwan threw the at local police post failed to explode.

A homemade pistol used by Irwan to shoot at two traffic police officers who gave chase jammed, leading Irwan to slash at one officer with a machete as the other officer shot and killed the hapless terrorist.

Detectives believe that Irwan might be part of the group identified last week that allegedly robbed banks to fund a terrorist campaign against the police.

Irwan was reportedly an accomplice of William Maksum, who was arrested in Bandung last week and has been linked to terrorist leaders such as Abu Omar, who led a terrorist cell based in Ciledug, South Tangerang, West Java, and another terrorist identified as Santoso.

Densus 88 conducted a series of overnight operations across Java last week aimed at terrorists, killing seven and arresting 13. The suspects allegedly collected money to support so-called mujahideen in Poso.

Police said that according to their preliminary investigations, the men had been involved the armed robbery of Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) branches in three cities as well as the robbery of a jewelry store in Tambora, West Jakarta.

Meanwhile, National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said Densus 88 officers had used deadly force to subdue the terrorists, who he described as armed and dangerous to the police and the public.

'Our priority is to keep the safety of our personnel, the suspects and the general public,' Timur told reporters at the State Place shortly before joining a Cabinet meeting.

The police chief said that the use of deadly force by Densus 88 had been done according to standard operating procedures.

'Once they became a threat, we have to carry out procedures without violating any laws,' Timur said.