Indonesian police arrest six teenagers on terrorism charges

[News_Editor]

Indonesian police arrest six teenagers on terrorism charges

2011-01-26 23:27:41 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Indonesian counterterrorism police on Tuesday arrested six teenagers in Central Java for their alleged involvement in terrorist activities, the Jakarta Post reported on Wednesday.

The National Police’s counterterrorism unit Detachment 88 detained the six teenagers aged between 18 and 19 years old during operations in Sukoharjo and Klaten regencies in Central Java.

Central Java Police chief Edward Aritonang identified the six suspects as Agung, Joko Lelono, Nugroho Budi Santoso, Arga Wiratama Tri Budi, Sigit Purnomo and Yuda Anggoro.

Police forces also arrested another suspect Roki Apristanto in Waru village, Sukoharjo. The teenagers allegedly assisted Apristanto and the group is allegedly responsible of several bomb threats in December 2010 and January 2011.

Chief Aritonang said that the parents of the six teenagers did not believe their children were involved in terrorism. Some of them were engineering students in local vocational schools.

Police counterterrorism officers also seized detonators, cables, black powder and potassium chlorate which are used to manufacture explosive devices. The raids took place in three of the suspect's homes.

"They were frightened. They did not want to be the only ones arrested so once we caught one, he led police to his accomplices," said Aritonang.

Roki Apristanto is suspected to be a member of a terrorist organization based in Sleman, Klaten and Sukoharjo. The group is suspected of placing several homemade bombs in Central Java last December.

Police forces discovered explosive devices in Klaten, near the Karang traffic police post as well as in front of the Klaten Islamic Hospital. Another bomb was discovered outside Sendang Sriningsih, a popular Catholic pilgrimage site.

It is believed that the terror group intended to detonate the explosive devices during Christmas celebrations. Police had been monitoring the suspects for some time.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-01-26