The suspect told the police he wanted to bomb a McDonald's restaurant in Makassar, South Sulawesi because the fast-food chain came from Italy, which was behind the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
olice arrested a 35-year-old man identified only as MH after he threatened to blow up a McDonald's restaurant on Jl. AP Pettarani in Panakkukang district, Makassar, South Sulawesi.
South Sulawesi Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Ibrahim Tompo said the suspect went into the store on Monday evening.
He then told a member of staff at the restaurant that he would bomb the place.
"He shouted in the store, saying that Italy was behind the COVID-19 pandemic and McDonald's was an Italian brand, so he intended to bomb it," Ibrahim said on Wednesday, as quoted by kompas.com.
Read also: Countering terrorism during the COVID-19 pandemic
After causing panic among customers and staff, he left the restaurant and rode away on a motorcycle.
The police managed to arrest MH after reviewing CCTV footage of the restaurant. Investigators identified him immediately, as the suspect did not wear anything to cover his face during the incident.
MH, who is a resident of Masamba district in Luwu regency, was arrested at a mosque on Jl. Urip Sumoharjo in the provincial capital of Makassar.
Ibrahim added that MH told police during an interrogation that he threatened to blow up the restaurant because he "hates foreign brands." (nal)
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