JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian anti-terrorism police arrested five suspects in a Tuesday night raid in Bekasi, West Java Province, targeting a terrorist group accused of planning several bomb plots, including attacks on the Burma Embassy and a church in Solo, Central Java Province, the police said.
Officers with the Densus 88 anti-terror squad stormed Andescre Printing on Mator Hasibuan Street in East Bekasi at 6:45 pm, arresting five men allegedly involved in an unnamed terrorist network, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said.
Three of the suspects were handed over to local police, Rikwanto said. Densus 88 held onto Khaerul Ikhwan, a 32-year-old man allegedly involved in May’s foiled plot to bomb the Burma Embassy in Jakarta, and Iswahyudi, who was allegedly found in possession of ammunition, airsoft guns and explosives materials during a separate raid on his rented home.
“Khaerul is suspected to be involved in a group that plotted the bombings of the Myanmar [Burma] Embassy, a church in Solo and the Cirebon district police [station],” Rikwanto said.
Iswahyudi allegedly worked as a kebab vendor in Bekasi, where he was known as a friendly family man and a member of the local community.
“People here knew him as a good person,” said Sarjoko, the head of the community unit where Iswahyudi lived. “He likes to blend in with the locals and liked to join in on the community’s work.”
This article was cross-posted from The Jakarta Globe.
