Indonesia arrests 12 over suspected terrorism links in six provinces

Indonesia has arrested twelve individuals suspected of ties to terrorist networks associated with Daulah Islamiyah and other extremist groups. These arrests occurred in six provinces across the country, including West Java, Central Java, Central Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Riau, and North Maluku. The suspects, aged between 22 and 52, were apprehended in a series of operations initiated since October 2.

Mayndra Eka Wardhana, a spokesperson for the national police's counter-terrorism unit Special Detachment 88, revealed that preliminary investigations uncovered connections among the suspects despite their activities spanning multiple regions. Evidence pointed to indoctrination efforts, consolidation of their networks, and other suspicious actions.

The investigators also discovered training activities, such as physical and shooting exercises, linked to terrorist militancy. Mayndra further stated that continuous investigations are underway, focusing on examining seized evidence and further probing the relationships between each suspect and other individuals or networks. He emphasized that the arrests were part of Indonesia's proactive measures to detect and prevent potential terrorist acts, aiming to disrupt activities like network consolidation, propaganda, recruitment, and training that could lead to violence.