Indonesia investigates possible ISIS link in Papua riots
The Indonesian National Police's Counterterrorism Squad, Densus 88, is probing a likely involvement of the Islamic state (ISIS) group in a string of riots in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, Indonesia’s Antara News Agency reported.
In the West Papua provincial capital of Manokwari, a rally against the alleged racist slurs took a violent turn on August 19, with some protesters setting ablaze a local parliamentary building and tires in several parts of the city. (Photo: AFP/VNA)Jakarta (VNA) - The Indonesian National Police's Counterterrorism Squad, Densus 88, is probing a likely involvement of the Islamic state (ISIS) group in a string of riots in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, Indonesia’s Antara News Agency reported.
The police are working all-out to unearth the masterminds behind the riots, said Chief of the Public Relations Bureau of the National Police Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo.
A string of violent rallies broke out in several parts of Papua and West Papua as an upshot of the alleged racist slurs against Papuan students in Surabaya, East Java.
In the West Papua provincial capital of Manokwari, a rally against the alleged racist slurs took a violent turn on August 19, with some protesters setting ablaze a local parliamentary building and tires in several parts of the city.
Demonstrators went on a rampage, vandalizing and setting ablaze several government buildings.
The police have alleged that Papuan separatist figure Benny Wenda had masterminded the riots. He is believed to have disseminated hoaxes and attempted to provoke on social media.
However, the police cannot take legal measures against Wenda, as he is no longer an Indonesian citizen.
Earlier, an investigation, jointly conducted by the National Police, the National Intelligence Agency and the National Cyber and Encryption Agency, had discovered 1,750 Facebook and Twitter accounts that had been the source of 32,000 fake news articles and provocative content about the current security situation in Papua. Some of these accounts were operated from overseas.
The findings were already reported to the Communication and Informatics Ministry. All of the fake news articles have been deleted from Facebook and Twitter.
Police have named 57 suspects in anarchist violence in Papua and 21 suspects in riots in West Papua.-VNA
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