Indonesian police authorities arrested suspects linked to 2018 church bombings

Indonesian police have arrested six terrorist suspects, two of whom have been linked to last year’s bombings at three churches in Surabaya, the country’s second-largest city.

Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo told reporters during an media briefing on 26th August that the arrests were made in mid-August in several locations in East Java province and that all those arrested were members of the Daesh-affiliated group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah, reported ucanews.com.

The group was behind the suicide bombings at Santa Maria Catholic Church and two Protestant churches on 13th May 2018. Nineteen people were killed and dozens were injured after members of a single family, including young children, carried out the bombings.

Another attack on the city police headquarters the following day by another family left at least four dead and 10 injured.

Hanafi Abu Zufar, 39, a suspected JAD cell leader in Madura in East Java, and Salman, 31, a suspected cell leader in Lamongan, also in East Java, were arrested on 22nd August.

“Both are closely linked to the Surabaya bombings,” Prasetyo told reporters. “At least, they knew of the plan to launch the attacks in Surabaya.”

Source: The Catholic Universe