BATAM – Police Headquarters Detachment 88 and Riau Islands Police continue to hunt down suspected terrorists Katibah (group) network GRD, led by Bahrun Naim, an Islamic State (IS) movement member from Surakarta, Central Java.
Batam Pos reported that Police suspects the new network is spread in some other areas outside of Batam. “Not in Batam alone, and it is not certain where they are,” Police said.
“Our targets in Batam are only five,” said Riau police chief, Brig Jend Sam Budigusdian, after attending religious gatherings at the stadium Punggowo Tomonggong Abdul Jamal, Batam, Sunday (7 August) afternoon.
He shared that the five suspected terrorists arrested in Batam on Friday (5 August) are still undergoing investigations by the police. The five are Gigih Rahmat Dewa, Eka Syahputra, Trio Syafrido, Tarmidzi and Hadi Gusti Yanda.
The five are still held in custody in Batam, but the location of where they are being kept is not disclosed.
There were six Batam residents who were arrested last week by the National Police’s Densus 88 counterterrorism squad for their alleged involvement in a plan to fire rockts from Batam to Singapore , but Police released 19-year-old Batam resident Muhammad Tegar Sucianto on Saturday after concluding that he was not involved in the terror network.
In its investigations, the police chief said that they also checked those close to the five suspected terrorists such as their spouses, children, and their colleagues.
“Currently, the team continues its examination and investigation,” he said.
The police chief asked that people of Batam including the foreign tourists not to worry.
“This should be considered as a good news for us. A bigger happening did not happen due to the preventive action of the police,” he said and appealed to all elements of society to maintain security in Batam.
