en.malanginspirasi.com – Counter terrorism forces of Indonesia or Densus 88 have arrested 11 terrorism suspects following a series of coordinated action across six provinces, dismantling an internet-based recruitment pipeline and unearthing active weapons training operations.
The nationwide crackdown began on October 2 and covered West Java, Central Java, Central Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Riau, and North Maluku.
While security officials did not reveal immediate strike plots, they emphasized that the detainees played various roles in cross-regional logistics, member recruitment, and operational training.
This latest operation comes as Southeast Asia confronts a fresh wave of online youth radicalization.
Though Indonesia has maintained a nearly four-year period without a major attack due to consistent police pressure on extremist cells, authorities caution that militant networks continue to raise funds, spread propaganda, and recruit followers via digital platforms.
Spokesman Mayndra Eka Wardhana stated that the detainees, aged 22 to 52, are believed to have links to networks aligned with Daulah Islamiyah—the common local designation for ISIS—as well as other extremist factions.
Investigators allege their roles spanned face-to-face and social media outreach, operational consolidation, and direct conspiracy to execute terrorist offenses.
Preliminary findings indicate that inter-provincial coordination was conducted heavily through virtual channels.
“One of the patterns discovered was the holding of online meetings that virtually connected a number of Daulah Islamiyah supporters from several regions,” Mayndra said.
Investigators also gathered evidence indicating that several suspects underwent militant training, including live-fire shooting practice.
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Densus 88 did not specify the locations of these drills or confirm if weapons were confiscated during the raids.
Police identified the 11 individuals solely by their initials: HN (43), SM alias NM (52), HA (45), YDKAP (22), S (49), A (32), CG (29), J (36), MF (37), AF (26), and MW (42).
In Central Sulawesi, provincial police representative Achmad Muhaimin confirmed the October 2 arrests of suspects A, CG, and S. A and CG were taken into custody in Tomoli Utara village in Parigi Moutong regency, while S was apprehended in Poso regency—a historic focal point for the ISIS-affiliated East Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT). Densus 88 is continuing to audit their local network connections.
Separate Action in Solo
In a separate action in Solo, Central Java, officers detained 22-year-old YDKAP on the evening of October 1.
His relatives noted he was picked up after leaving to collect his wages, adding that they were unaware of his arrest until police presented a search warrant the next morning.
His father mentioned that YDKAP worked at a water depot and a local eatery, showing no signs of radical behavior, and urged law enforcement to respect his constitutional rights and the presumption of innocence.
Indonesia’s last executed terrorist attack occurred in December 2022, when a suicide bomber struck a police station in Bandung, killing one officer and injuring 10 others.
National Counter-Terrorism Agency chief Eddy Hartono reported that security forces have intercepted roughly 28 planned attacks over the past four years.
Rising digital threats remain a central concern for counter-terrorism units.
Densus 88 recently warned that over 300 minors had engaged with online “true crime communities” vulnerable to extremist influence.
Additionally, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) identified online crowdfunding, non-profit exploitation, and self-funding as the primary channels used for financing terrorism in the country.
Defending the timing of the widespread operation, Mayndra underscored the proactive strategy behind the arrests.
“The law enforcement action is part of the police’s efforts at early detection and prevention of potential acts of terrorism,” the unit said.
