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Police arrest six teenagers on terrorism charges
Big catch: Policemen show evidence seized from terror suspects during a raid in Merbung village, Klaten regency, Central Java, on Tuesday
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span class="inline inline-left">Big catch: Policemen show evidence seized from terror suspects during a raid in Merbung village, Klaten regency, Central Java, on Tuesday. Members of the police counterterrorism squad on Tuesday arrested seven suspected terrorists at four locations in Klaten and Sukoharjo regencies. Antara/Akbar Nugroho GumayThe National Police’s counterterrorism unit Detachment 88 arrested seven people — six of them teenagers — in a raid in Sukoharjo and Klaten regencies in Central Java for alleged involvement in terrorism-related activities.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Anton Bahrul Alam said in Jakarta on Tuesday that most of the suspects were between the ages of 18 and 19.
Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang identified the six teenage suspects as Agung, Joko Lelono, Nugroho Budi Santoso, Arga Wiratama Tri Budi, Sigit Purnomo and Yuda Anggoro. They allegedly assisted another suspect Roki “Atok” Apristanto, who was arrested in Waru village, Sukoharjo.
Edward said police faced little resistance during the arrest.
“They were frightened… They did not want to be the only ones arrested so once we caught one, he led [police] to his accomplices,” he said.
However, Edward said, the parents of the teenage suspects did not believe their children were involved in terrorism.
“Some of them study engineering in vocational schools so they were often seen assembling things,” he added.
During the arrest, police also confiscated explosives, including detonators, cables, black powder and potassium chlorate in three of the suspects’ houses.
National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said Roki had lived in a rented house for three months and had been working as a parking attendant in Purwosari, Surakarta.
“The suspect is alleged to be a member of a terror cell based around Sleman, Klaten and Sukoharjo,” he added.
Edward said psychologists would assist during the questioning of the teenagers.
He added that the suspects were behind several bomb threats in December 2010 and January 2011.
The police discovered several homemade bombs in Central Java last December. Some were discovered in the town of Klaten, in front of the Karang traffic police post and the traffic police post in front of Klaten Islamic Hospital. Another device was discovered outside Sendang Sriningsih, a popular Catholic shrine and pilgrimage site.
Police believe the bombs were to have been detonated during Christmas celebrations. Indonesia was hit by a string of church bombings across the archipelago on Christmas Eve 10 years ago.
The attacks killed 16 people and injured more than 100, most of them Christians attending Christmas
Eve Mass.
Edward said police had been monitoring the suspects for some time. He added that the suspects admitted responsibility for planning terror attacks in eight locations, including in Klaten.
