The evidence seized in the arrest of suspected militants (Photo: EPA-EFE) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian police said on May 17 that they had arrested dozens of Islamic-State linked terror suspects, including some who planned to detonate bombs at political demonstrations where the election results are announced next week.
In this month alone, 29 suspects were captured in raids across the Southeast Asian country, increasing the total detained to 60 from the outset of this year.
Eight others killed in confrontation with authorities. Some arrested suspects were skilled bomb makers and fought alongside the jihadist group in Syria, as well as members of local extremist network Jemaah Anshurat Daulah (JAD), according to police.
JAD has pledged allegiance to IS and was blamed for a wave of suicide bombings at churches in Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya last year.
The world's biggest Muslim majority nation has seen a string of attacks by Islamist militants since the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed more than 200 people, including scores of tourists.
Some 32,000 security personnel are expected to fan out across the capital next week, including the area in front of the General Elections Commission.
The Indonesian election was held on April 17 to select President, Vice Presidents and more than 20,000 local and national lawmakers.
The presidential race pit incumbent President Joko Widodo and retired general Prabowo Subianto. Latest results show that with more than 80 percent of ballots counted, Widodo is leading by 12 percentage points with 56 percent of the vote.-VNA
VNA
