The National Police's elite counterterrorism squad Densus 88 apprehended four persons in three separate locations in Riau on Tuesday, on suspicions they were planning attacks on police premises in the province.

Two men, who go by the aliases Abu Afif and Abu Ibrohim, were arrested in Pandau Permai residential complex in Kampar regency at around 7.15 a.m. on Tuesday.

After digging for information from the two suspects, Densus 88 launched another operation later that day and arrested two other suspected terrorists, one who goes by the alias Abu Zahid in Tangkerang area, Pekanbaru city, and another who goes by the alias Abu Bukhori, in Taman Griya Anggrek residential area in Kampar.

Through their preliminary investigations, the police found indications the four men were linked to Jama'ah Anshar Daulah (JAD) and had been making plans to attack the police, including small posts and the Riau Police headquarters in Pekanbaru, said Riau Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Guntur Aryo Tejo.

"Abu Afif is allegedly their leader. There are indications that they are part of a terrorist network [whose members] were recently arrested in Jambi," Guntur said. "The four persons are also suspected to have learned bomb-making in Jambi."

Across the country, police have become the targets of terror attacks by militant groups in the past few years, with the worst attack occurring on May 24 when two suicide bombers linked to the Islamic State (IS) group detonated explosives at a bus terminal in Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta, killing three officers. (ipa)

Source:
courtesy of THE JAKARTA POST

by Rizal Harahap

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