Farouk Arnaz – National Police said on Monday that Pepi Fernando, the alleged mastermind behind the foiled Good Friday bombing of a church, had been "steered" by another actor, a politician.

Pepi, 30, who was arrested in Aceh, was believed to be the mastermind, financier and bomb maker behind the Good Friday plot and book bombs sent to various prominent figures in Jakarta last month.

"[But] National Police have a strong indication that there was another perpetrator above Pepi – a financier for Pepi Fernando to carry out terrorism acts," National Police spokesman Chief Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said.

He said that the police would not be satisfied by Pepi's confession that he was part of a new terror cell, and would continue their investigation. "We need time to reveal all of his network. He has not been cooperative, come clean or told us what he has done," Boy said

According to a police source investigating the case, Pepi, a former member of the Indonesian Islamic State movement (NII) had "a close relationship with a politician. We suspect that this politician had knowledge of Pepi's plan."

But the source refused to give any more detail, as the investigation remained ongoing. "Be patient because the details will emerge later."

Pepi is a familiar face to a number of police officers because he is the husband of Deni Carmelita, a National Narcotics Agency (BNN) public relations staffer. Deni has also been named as a suspect in this case.

Police raids following the foiled Good Friday bombing uncovered explosives and bomb-making materials at the home of Pepi's parents-in-law in Bekasi – including a grenade, a rocket shell, bombs and a timer.