REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian government has heightened security ahead of the year end by deploying police and military personnel at strategic locations.
"We are conducting operations and monitoring strategic locations with the assistance of the police and military forces," Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Luhut Panjaitan stated here on Monday.
He made the statement at a press conference after meeting Australia's Attorney General George Brandis to discuss the security situation ahead of the year end.
Panjaitan revealed that he had involved all community elements in the effort by urging them to report suspicious activities in their neighborhoods.
Regarding the arrest of nine terror suspects by the police's anti-terror squad Densus 88, Luhut said the decision to step up security was not related to the arrests.
"It is not related to the arrests. It is not specifically aimed at them," he clarified.
National Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti affirmed that the police had arrested nine terror suspects from various locations, including Cilacap and Sukoharjon in Central Java, Tasikmalaya in West Java, and Mojokerto and Gresik in East Java.
The suspects have been identified by the initials: R, YS, AR, ZA, MKH, TP, IM, JA, and AK.
"Some of them are ex-members of Jamaah Islamiyah, and some others have links with ISIS," he stated.
General Haiti remarked that the police had a week to initiate legal proceedings against the suspects who were arrested on December 19-20 before deciding whether they would be released or detained.
He said the police made the arrests after receiving a tip-off regarding their plan to conduct terror acts.
"Information was also provided by the Australia Federal Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Singapore Intelligence Service. During the raids, we discovered explosive materials that were ready to be assembled. The terrorists were not specifically targeting Christmas or New Year events," he explained.
Badrodin said the terror suspects were targeting police officers, Densus 88 members, and former members.
"They were also targeting police stations and certain groups, such as the Shiite group," he noted.
Badrodin said that at the end of last month, he had received information on possible terror acts.
He remarked that the police continued to coordinate with other security agencies and protect any possible targets, including state officials.
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