Jakarta – The husband and the teacher of Siti Erlina, who was caught brandishing a gun at the gate of the State Palace, have been named terrorism suspects, police said on Friday.
Siti was arrested on Tuesday after she attempted to break into the State Palace by pointing a gun at members of the presidential security force (Paspampres) guarding the front gate on Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara.
Her husband, identified as Bahrul Ulum, is alleged to be a sympathizer of militant group Indonesian Islamic State (NII) and his charge is unrelated to the State Palace incident, according to a senior officer with the anti-terror squad Detachment 88.
A second man identified as Jamaluddin, who police said is the spiritual teacher for the couple, was also charged with terrorism.
Siti acted alone when she walked straight to the State Palace gate without her husband's consent, said Chief Comr. Aswin Siregar, the anti-terror squad's operation division head.
"There is no instruction from Bahrul Ulum," Aswin told Kompas news website.
Both Bahrul and Jamaluddin have pledged allegiance to the NII, police said.
According to the police investigation, Siti has demanded to meet in person with President Joko Widodo and to tell him that the national ideology should be replaced with Islamic teachings.
During a search at her home in Koja, North Jakarta, police seized at least four guns.