National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian proposed on Tuesday the establishment of a maximum-security detention center in Cikeas, West Java, where suspected and convicted terrorists would be held.

The detention center would replace the police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) detention center in Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java, which was heavily damaged in a deadly riot earlier this month, Tito said.

“During investigations, while waiting for indictments and trial, [terrorist] suspects or convicts would be placed in a special [detention] center and separated from other [criminals] detained in Salemba or Cipinang detention facilities,” Tito said on Tuesday.

It is especially important to have a separate detention center for suspected terrorists and convicts to prevent the spread of radical teachings to other inmates, he said.

Tito said the establishment of a paramilitary training camp for terrorists in Aceh had been planned by terrorist convicts Abu Bakar Baasyir, Iwan Rois and Islamic State (IS) group ideologue Aman Abdurrahman, all of whom were initially from three different groups, when they were detained together in Cipinang Penitentiary, East Jakarta.

Tito said the high-security detention center in Cikeas would be managed by the police as Brimob regiment I was also stationed there.  (ebf)