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Medan church attacker in touch with IS supporter Bahrun Naim: Police
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National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian (left) and educational institution head Comr. Gen. Syafruddin (right) during a hearing at Commission III of the House of Representatives on Sept. 5. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
T
he National Police revealed on Monday that the suspect in the August attack at the St. Yosep Catholic Church in Medan, North Sumatra, had been in contact with top Indonesian Islamic State (IS) supporter Bahrun Naim.
Results from an investigation on the 17-year-old suspect have indicated that he was not part of any particular international terrorist network. However, he did get in touch with Bahrun Naim, who might have taught him some things about radicalism and terrorism, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said.
"This is a new phenomenon of ‘lone wolf’ terrorism where an underage boy was radicalized, and then he learned [about] and produced his own explosive device and carried out the attack by himself," Tito said at the House of Representatives hearing on Monday.
Bahrun, an IS militant who reportedly resides in Raqqa, Syria, is suspected to have taken part in several terror attacks around the country, including the bombing at the Surakarta Police station in July as well as the attacks in Jakarta in January.
Tito said the 17-year-old had self-radicalized using the Internet. However, Tito did not give further details on his connections Bahrun.
The teenager was named a suspect after churchgoers foiled an attack on Rev. Albertus Pandiangan during Sunday mass. He allegedly attempted to kill Albertus, 60, with a knife and an axe, but only managed to wound the priest’s left arm as churchgoers immediately apprehended him. (evi)
