Rizal Harahap, Pekanbaru, Riau – Densus 88, the National Police's counterterrorism squad, supported by Riau Police personnel, have arrested four suspected terrorists in separate locations. The arrested are accused of having planned terrorist attacks against police offices across the province.
Three of the four men are affiliated with Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), the local branch of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. They are reportedly connected to four terrorism suspects arrested in Riau on Oct. 24.
The three men have reportedly attended multiple paramilitary terrorist training courses in Bukit Gema in Lipat Kain district, Kampar, at the beginning of 2017.
The three JAD-linked suspects were identified as DG alias Abu Syuhada, 24, RR alias Huat alias Abu Khanza, 29, and DRP alias Riski, 21. The fourth arrestee, who is not associated with JAD, was identified as AR alias Raja, 42.
"The four men were arrested by different police teams. We arrested AR and then DG, RR and DRP, one after another. During the arrests they were outside of their homes," Riau Police chief Insp. Gen. Nandang said on Tuesday.
"AR had gone to Pekanbaru to avoid police arrest. He was a fugitive for alleged involvement in the arson attack on the Dharmasraya Police office in West Sumatra on Nov. 12," said Nandang.
He said DRP had volunteered to become a "bride," a code word for a suicide bomber, along with suspected terrorist Wawan Kurniawan, with Riau Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) headquarters as their target. Wawan had been arrested before. (saf/ebf)