Jewel Topsfield and Amilia Rosa, Jakarta – Indonesian police say that suspected terrorists who were arrested and killed on Christmas Day had been plotting to attack a police post in West Java on New Year's Eve.
Two suspected militants were shot dead in a floating house on the Jatiluhur dam in West Java on Sunday after attacking police officers with machetes. The police had been led to the floating house after arresting two other men in nearby Cibinong.
Police had earlier warned of potentially catastrophic results if they had intended to target Jatiluhur dam, which could have caused massive flooding.
National Police spokesman Rikwanto said a statement was found in the floating house, which was like an instruction to fight police, whom they considered evil.
"When they (the alleged militants) were on land they also did a survey of police posts," Mr Rikwanto said. "They found a police post (in Purwakarta) and they planned to do their action on New Year's Eve."
Mr Rikwanto said police had not received any statement suggesting Jatiluhur dam was a target just an indication the men had fled to the floating house from a rental property in Bandung, after the locals started getting suspicious.
He said at the rented house in Cibinong police found nails in different sizes, scales, a mobile phone with many SIM cards, disks, books about religious studies and handwritten notes, which were crucial for their ongoing investigations.
No bombs materials had been found but the scales indicated they intended to weigh something so it was possible the materials were yet to arrive. "Detachment 88 (the special counter-terrorism police force) will continue to expand (the investigation) based on the arrests," he said.
"We estimate there are people still from their group who will disrupt events like Christmas and New and police station attacks on officers in the field. To anticipate these, Detachment 88 have never stopped investigating."
West Java police chief Anton Charliyan had earlier told Fairfax Media the water dam wall was only a few hundred metres from the floating home. "That's why we are now combing the area, diving, as a precaution, they might already have something there we don't know."
Mr Anton said the Christmas day arrests were related to arrests in South Tangerang earlier this month over a plot to attack the state palace in central Jakarta using a female suicide bomber.
He said the suspects were linked to the Jamaah Anshar Daulah network which is affiliated with Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian-born IS fighter who is believed to be in Syria. "There are indications of more network cells. Their target is different now," Mr Anton said.
The statement in the floating house warning that "infidels" and those who imprisoned mujahideen [holy warriors] fighting for Allah would be targeted with knives.
The statement, which appeared to be aimed at police, said: "We will come to you wherever you are, we will stake out your posts, your houses, in crowded or quiet place, day or night... Earth belongs only to Allah, it is improper for you uphold other than Allah's law, you uphold the devil's law."
Mr Anton said no bombs were found at either of the two sites on Christmas Day but eight machetes had been seized.
Police have now shot dead five suspected militants and arrested multiple others allegedly plotting terror attacks in the lead-up to the holiday period.
Security has been beefed up, with 85,000 police and 15,000 military personnel deployed during the Christmas and New Year period as part of the annual Operation Candle.
Meanwhile three Indonesians were reportedly deported after allegedly trying to join militants fighting in Syria. They are being interrogated by police.
The Australian government updated its travel warning to Indonesia on December 21, warning that Indonesian authorities continued to arrest terrorists who had allegedly been in the advanced stages of attack planning.
"The terrorist threat level in Indonesia remains high. Terrorist attacks could occur anywhere at any time in Indonesia, including Bali. Be particularly vigilant during the Christmas and New Year period as gatherings of Westerners could be targeted," it said.