Police Deny 3 Arrested Members Tied to Terrorism

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Director of General Crime of Metro Jaya Regional Police Chief Commissioner Hengki Haryadi said that the three police members arrested earlier have no ties to the ongoing terrorism case involving a PT KAI employee. He affirmed that the three police members were involved in the illegal firearms trade.

"[The arrest] has no relation to the terrorist network. The case is related to their communication via e-commerce to illegally trade firearms," he said at the police station on Friday, August 18, 2023.

The police members arrested were a member of Metro Jaya regional police Chief Brigadier Reynaldi Prakoso, Cirebon police department member Chief Brigadier Syarif Mukhsin, and North Bekasi sectoral police member First Inspector Muhamad Yudi Saputra.

According to Hengki, the three police members were only connected to a firearms trade with no relevance to the terrorism case. "Their intention was not that of a terror since they do not know each other [outside of the internet], online-only, to order firearms," said Hengki.

Hengki revealed that Reynaldi's role was to receive illegal firearms from a seller in Semarang. Syarif Mukhsin coordinated with Reynalsi to modify airguns into firearms, connecting him to the seller in Semarang. Meanwhile, Muhamad Yudi Saputra was arrested for the ownership of firearms.

"[The suspects] were arrested as a police target, they were scared and left the firearms with [Muhamad Yudi Saputra]," said Hengki.

The police is currently investigating the case. Hengki said he is unable to reveal other suspects and their involvement in the business. "There are several suspects the police have not caught. If we reveal anything they could run away," he said.

M. FAIZ ZAKI

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