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Most remaining MIT members are from Bima: Taskforce
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Staying strong -- Central Sulawesi Police chief and Operation Tinombala task force chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi speaks to journalists after a meeting with the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) at the Central Sulawesi Police headquarters on Aug. 23. (JP/Ruslan Sangadji)
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even out of nine East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) terror group members, who are included on Operation Tinombala Taskforce’s most wanted list (DPO), are from Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, while the remaining two members are from Poso, Central Sulawesi, a top security official has said.
Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi thinks the seven MIT members from Bima are refusing to surrender to Operation Tinombala Taskforce personnel.
“They don’t have families in Poso so there would be no reason for them to surrender. This is not the case for the two DPO members, however. It’s very likely that they will surrender,” said Rudy, who is also the Operation Tinombala Taskforce commander, on Monday.
(Read also: Suspected terrorist arrested in C.Sulawesi)
Rudy further said it was also believed that nine former supporters of the MIT top leader, Santoso alias Abu Wardah, who was shot dead in July 2016, had never traveled in a group. “Ali Kalora in Poso is the one with the highest probability to move separately from the other members. He’d always rather walk alone than together with his group,” said Rudy.
To prevent MIT sympathizers from entering Poso, the police have tightened security at entrance points in areas across the regency.
Operation Tinombala, which was scheduled to conclude on Jan. 3, will be extended by three months starting on Jan. 4 with support of 1,800 police and military personnel. (ebf)
