12/15/2018 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – Indonesian counterterrorism police have foiled a plot by two suspects who were planning to carry out terrorist attacks during Christmas and New Year celebrations.
On Thursday, National police spokesman Brig Gen Dedi Prasetyo told reporters that the attacks were to be launched somewhere in West Java Province, with the exact location still being investigated.
The two suspects were only identified by their initials, B. and M.I. Both men belong to the Islamic State-linked organization Jamah Ansyarut Daulah (JAD). They were arrested in Yogyakarta in the central part of Java Island.
“The two come from one terrorist network, and we are now investigating the movement of this network in Java. Hopefully, [we] can reveal the network so the atmosphere of Christmas and New Year celebrations will be conducive,” he said.
According to Bangkok Post, in July, the South Jakarta District Court disbanded JAD as part of efforts to contain terrorist cells in the world’s most populous Muslim nation. In recent years, JAD has launched several terrorist attacks, some targeting Christians and claimed dozens of lives.
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