Jakarta – Police have arrested a man they refer to as both M and Abu Arkam in Berau, East Kalimantan, accusing him of involvement in the explosions in Sibolga, North Sumatra, that have been linked to the banned Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) group.
"Densus 88 [counterterrorism squad] has arrested M aka Abu Arkam in Berau, East Kalimantan on Tuesday," National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said on Wednesday, as quoted by the Antara news agency.
Dedi said Abu Arkam was allegedly plotting an attack against the police, which he believed had been vilifying the Islamic State (IS) movement.
Last week, an explosion rocked a neighborhood in Sibolga after the wife of suspected terrorist Abu Hamzah – affiliated with the homegrown pro-IS JAD – detonated a bomb at their residence, killing herself and her 2-year-old son.
The police have so far arrested six suspects – four men and two women. They are all suspected of being affiliated with the terrorist group.
One of the suspects, Y, a 35-year-old woman who was arrested at her parent's house in Klaten, Central Java last week, died by apparent suicide while in custody on Monday.
The police said Y was suspected of being the initiator of the terrorist acts on Java together with Putera Syuhada, Abu Hamzah and Syaefuddin Hidayat.
Densus 88 is still pursuing Syaefuddin Hidayat, who has been posting videos on social media containing threats against the police. (das)