SINGAPORE — Indonesian authorities have arrested six terrorism suspects over an alleged plot to fire a rocket into Marina Bay from Batam, a distance of less than 30km, according to local media reports.
The suspects, aged 19 to 46, were arrested on Friday morning (Aug 5) by Special Detachment 88, Indonesia’s elite counter-terrorism squad. The group is said to have links to Bahrun Naim, the alleged mastermind behind the attacks in central Jakarta earlier this year.
Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it is aware that plans were being made by the six terror suspects. “Our security agencies have been coordinating closely with the Indonesian authorities since the discovery of this attack plot, to monitor the activities of the group and to apprehend those involved,” it said in a statement.
Singaporean police and other agencies have been stepping up inland and border security measures, said MHA.
According to an online report by Batam Pos, the suspects were arrested at various locations across Batam, including the Mediterranean Housing Block FF1 Batam Centre, Complex Masyeba, Cluster Sakura Botania, Carina Park Complex, and the Komplek Taman Indah Batuaji.
“It is true that we are holding six people,” a senior police official, Boy Rafli Amar, was quoted saying by Batam Pos.
The report identified the six suspects as Gigih Rahmat Dewa, 31; Trio Syafrido, 46; Eka Saputra, 35; Tarmidzi, 21; Hadi Gusti Yanda, 20; and M Tegar Sucianto, 19. All of them work at a fabric factory except Trio, who is reportedly a bank executive. An Indonesian TV station identified Gigih as the ring leader.
One of Gigih’s neighbours said he got married four years ago and did not show signs of suspicious behaviour. “He rarely goes out, in fact, we don’t know anything about them. So far the couple has been good,” the neighbour was quoted saying by Batam Pos.
Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian militant, is well-known to security agencies. Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said in March that Bahrun Naim was suspected of encouraging attacks in Singapore. He is said to be behind the bomb-and-gun assault at a Jakarta shopping plaza on Jan 14 that killed eight people, including four attackers, and injured more than 20 others.
Indonesian national police chief Badrodin Haiti has also named him as one of the region’s core leaders in the pro-Islamic State network
Source: www.todayonline.com
