Indonesia police arrest 228 terrorist suspects in 2020

JAKARTA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian police's anti-terror squad dubbed Densus 88 has arrested 228 suspects in terrorism cases this year, National Police Chief General Idham Azis said on Tuesday.

"Throughout 2020 the National Police have prevented acts of terrorism in the Indonesian territory by arresting as many as 228 suspects," the police chief said when presenting the year-end press statement at the police headquarters.

Some of the terrorism cases which became the spotlight were the arrests of 23 terrorist suspects from the outlawed Jamaah Islamiyah group between November and December 2020, according to Azis.

Jamaah Islamiah is an Islamic militant organization in Southeast Asia that seeks to establish an Islamic state in the region including Indonesia.

Among the arrests was Upik Lawanga who had been on the run for 14 years as he was involved in bombings in Central Sulawesi province between 2004 and 2006, he said, adding that other suspects included Zulkarnain who was behind the Bali bombing in 2002, which killed at least 202 people and injured 209 others.

The police chief pointed out that Zulkarnain who had been a fugitive for 19 years was capable of assembling high-explosive bombs and firearms

Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-12/22/c_139610938.htm