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It's not surprising to see Santoso listed as a global terrorist, says Police chief
On the hunt: National Police chief Gen
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On the hunt: National Police chief Gen.Badrodin Haiti talks at a recent press conference in Jakarta. A joint police-military team is pursuing Santoso and his East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) terrorist group as part of a security operation codenamed Operation Tinombala in Poso, Central Sulawesi. Terror group members are believed to have been cornered and running out of supplies. (Tempo/Aditia Noviansyah) (MIT) terrorist group as part of a security operation codenamed Operation Tinombala in Poso, Central Sulawesi. Terror group members are believed to have been cornered and running out of supplies. (Tempo/Aditia Noviansyah)
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span class="inline inline-center">On the hunt: National Police chief Gen.Badrodin Haiti talks at a recent press conference in Jakarta. A joint police-military team is pursuing Santoso and his East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) terrorist group as part of a security operation codenamed Operation Tinombala in Poso, Central Sulawesi. Terror group members are believed to have been cornered and running out of supplies. (Tempo/Aditia Noviansyah)
National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti has said that it was not surprising that Santoso, leader of the East Indonesia Mujahiddin (MIT) group in Poso, Central Sulawesi, was on the US' global terrorist list.
'The US and other countries have a list of individuals who have links with [terrorist groups such as] Al-Qaeda, for instance. It's a terrorist list for both individuals and groups,' he said as quoted by Tempo on Thursday.
The US State Department announced on Wednesday that the country had included Santoso on its specially designated global terrorists (SDGT) list.
Santoso, who has been a fugitive for more than three years, is a supporter of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), considered to be the most dangerous terrorist group in the world.
Once a person or group has been put on the list, access to any of their assets within the US' legal jurisdiction can be blocked and no US citizens may conduct transactions with them.
According to media reports, through Santoso's inclusion in the SDGT, Washington hopes that all US citizens and the international community will be aware of Santoso as a figure actively involved in terrorism.
The SDGT designation also allows the US government and their international partners to take coordinated action to disrupt terrorist activities, such as by denying terrorists access to the US financial system and enabling US law enforcement bodies to become involved, the statement read.
Badrodin said police and Indonesian Military personnel were still pursuing Santoso, claiming that their target was in their reach. 'His arrest is only a matter of time,' he said.
Members of the joint security operation, codenamed Operation Tinombala, are pursuing Santoso and MIT members, who are believed to be cornered and running out of supplies.
Badrodin said that the number of personnel was sufficient, and their strategies appropriate, to confront Santoso and his followers. However, the police chief added that it was quite difficult to arrest Santoso due to geographical challenges. 'We have also been hampered by the weather as it rains everyday there,' said Badrodin.
He said that the manhunt for Santoso and the group's members was a race against time, as Santoso could win over more followers in the future.
It is predicted that at present, Santoso has only 38 followers. However, Badrodin claimed that recent arrests might lead the group to conduct a fresh recruitment drive.
'Many Santoso followers have been arrested. It is likely that the group will recruit new members,' said Badrodin.
Santoso is accused of masterminding a number of killings and kidnappings in Indonesia over the last several years. The joint operation force has been hunting the MIT terror group since January 2015, but they have still not been able to capture Santoso. (afr/ebf)
