TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chief of Police Gen. Tito Karnavian said the force have been keeping an eye on the movements of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) since four years ago or circa 2014.
Tito said that the JAD network is not a local one, instead, it is spread in several regions across Indonesia, which makes it a dangerous group.
That is one of the reasons why since two years ago the police suggested amending the Terrorism Law.
"We hope this revision is implemented as soon as possible while we also improving our prison system," he said in Jakarta, Thursday, May 17.
Soon after the Surabaya bombing attacks, the Chief of Police urged the House of Representatives (DPR) to pass the Terrorism bill into a law.
Read: Police Chief Reveals Motives behind Surabaya Suicide Bombings
Tito said the law is a vital ground for the police to act upon terrorism because "we know their cells but we cannot make a move if they don’t," he said last week in Surabaya.
The current law only allows the authorities, including the anti-terror squad Densus 88, to react. "We want to be able to do more than just that," Tito said.
The Chief of Police also requested improvements in the state's prison system and facilities. The riot in Mako Brimob, which was also masterminded by JAD, Tito said, is due to the lack of prison`s security.
"We want maximum security."
Terror convicts, he said, are dangerous. And thus they cannot be detained in ordinary prisons, and "especially mixed with other prisoners."
Riyan Novitra
