National police chief General Tito Karnavian disclosed here on Friday that SA was a member of "Daulah Islamiyah" of the Ciamis network in West Java. He was recruited by a man identified as FA who has since died.
FA was a member of the old Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) network and often used to visit Abu Bakar Baasyir (a JI leader).
When JI saw a split with some members supporting the ISIS and others Al-Qaeda, FA joined the group that backed the ISIS and recruited SA a year ago.
SA was then sworn in at an Islamic boarding school in Ciamis, West Java, and had often communicated with ISIS through a website or chatting application.
"So, SA often communicated online using a website with ISIS members and, therefore, was carried away, falling for the ISIS ideology which is what prompted his actions," Tito pointed out during a visit to inquire about the injured policemen currently being treated at the Siloam Hospital in Karawaci, Tangerang.
According to his family, SAs behavior changed completely as a result of his indoctrination. He began to use internet more frequently and became rather reticent, not even communicating with his brother who is a policeman.
Once SA had fled from home and was later found in Ciamis. He was picked up from the boarding school but had fled again. He was finally caught by his brother and taken to a local police station.
"From Ciamis, he was taken home but fled again. His behavior had changed totally. Actually, his parents and brothers continued to worry about him till he was finally found stabbing the Tangerang sector police chief," he recalled.
Although SA died, the police are still developing the case. "We have sent a special team to Ciamis to conduct further investigation into the case," Jakarta Metropolitan Police chief Inspector General Moch Iriawan informed.
Indonesias elite anti-terrorism unit, Detachment 88, is investigating the motives of the 22-year-old SA. He attacked policemen with a knife and homemade bombs at Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan, Tangerang, on Thursday morning.
Three policemen injured in the incident were identified as Tangerang Police chief Comr. Efendi, First. Insp. Bambang Haryadi and traffic police Brig. Sukardi.
Local police fired shots at the attacker, with three bullets hitting his legs. He was taken to the Kramat Jati Hospital in East Jakarta but died on the way.
Police seized a knife, a dagger, two suspected pipe bombs, a black backpack, a white turban and a sticker that was stuck to a traffic police post at the scene.
According to an eye witness, SA attacked the policemen after he was reprimanded for putting a sticker with an ISIS logo at a police post in Cikokol.
Juanedi, the eye witness, said he rode a motorbike and stopped at the police post and then pasted the sticker.
A policeman knew it and then reprimanded him. SA then took out something from his body which was later found to be a knife to attack the policeman and hurt his fellow who tried to help. Another policeman came later and shot his legs three times.
The attacker fainted and was taken to the hospital and also the three policemen wounded in the incident.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
