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Police arrest terror suspect targeting places of worship in East Java
According to the police investigation, the suspect, identified as a 19-year-old male with the initials HOK, planned to launch a suicide bombing attack targeting places of worship in East Java.
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Police officers stand guard on Aug. 1, 2024, in front of a house rented by a terror suspect in Batu, East Java. A joint team of the National Police's Densus 88 counterterrorism unit and the East Java Police seized several pieces of evidence from the house on July 31, including liquid explosive and other bomb-making materials. (Antara/Irfan Sumanjaya)
T
he police arrested an alleged terrorist in Batu, East Java on Wednesday evening, with the suspect allegedly planning to launch a bombing in houses of worship.
The National Police’s Densus 88 counterterrorism squad arrested the suspect, identified as a 19-year-old male with the initials HOK, at around 7:15 p.m. Investigators suspect that he is affiliated with the Daulah Islamiyah group that is linked to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization.
“From our investigation, we believe the suspect was planning to launch a suicide bombing attack against a house of worship,” National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said in a statement on Thursday, but he stopped short of mentioning which place of worship or the location of the suspect’s target.
Aside from HOK, Densus 88 personnel also arrested several other people.
After arresting the suspect, a joint team of Densus 88 and East Java Police conducted a search at a rental house in Batu on Thursday.
“The house was rented for two years. The suspect has only lived in it for 1.5 years,” Trunoyudo said.
During the search, investigators seized several pieces of evidence, including a bottle of liquid explosive, a slingshot and a jar of ball bearings.
