TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Police Headquarters have named another suspected terrorist from Surabaya, Ali As’abbah. Ali has been nabbed after police made investigation into the arrest of three suspected terrorist from Surabaya on June 8-9, 2016.
“We have arrested Ali now,” said Police Headquarters Public Relations Chief Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar in his office, Wednesday, June 15, 2016.
Boy said that Ali’s role was to help assembling explosives and he was aware of the targets of high-explosive terrorist acts that was about to be conducted by three other suspects: Priyo Hadi Purnomo (PHP), Befri Rahmawan (BR) alias Ibnu alias Azis, and Feri Novandi (FN) alias Abu Fahri alias Koceng. Ali was a vendor, whereas PHP was an ex-convict of Porong Penitentiary, East Java.
Boy elaborated that the four suspected terrorists had been influenced by Sibghatullah group and Bahrun Naim, leader of the Islamic States of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS). Sibghatullah, formed in 2014, is affiliated to ISIS. The group operates in Yogyakarta, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, Madura, and Magelang.
PHP had a crucial role in recruiting FN, BR and Ali. BR had been planned to become the executor of Surabaya terrorist acts. The targets were police stations on Jalan Dharmo, Jalan Basuki Rahmat, Bungkul Park and Tanjung Perak Police Precinct Surabaya. “The targets are police officers who are on duty,” he said.
The suspects had been targeting the police because they are eradicating terrorism. Moreover, police are also deemed as obstacle to establishing an islamic state. The four suspects have been charged with violating Article 7 and 9 of Law No. 15/2003 on planned terrorist acts. They could face 20 years in prison.
DEWI SUCI RAHAYU