Police Confirm White Powder Found at FPI HQ Explosive Material

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Ahmad Ramadhan explained the findings of white powder and liquid in bottles at the headquarters of the now-disbanded Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), which were claimed by the advocacy team for ulema and activists representing the group’s former secretary-general Munarman as detergent and toilet cleaner.

The police, meanwhile, suspected the white powder and liquid in bottles were flammable chemicals of TATP (triacetone triperoxide).

Ramadhan said that based on the identification results of the central forensic laboratory team, they were confirmed to be chemicals used as raw materials for making explosives.

“The two chemicals are flammable and prone to be used as materials for making molotov cocktails and explosives,” he said at his office, South Jakarta, Friday, April 30. He mentioned the chemicals were indeed put into bottles of toilet cleaner.  

Previously reported, the advocacy team for ulema and activists representative Hariadi Nasution denied that the powder was TATP but rather detergent and toilet cleaners.

The police seized the findings after searching the building in Petamburan that was used as FPI's headquarters. The searching was launched following the arrest of Munarman by the police’s Anti-terror Special Detachment (Densus 88) on Tuesday, April 27. 

Read: Police Name Munarman Terrorist Suspect

ANDITA RAHMA