"There is no intention to distract from the issue. Everything in the media is based on events that have occurred, and we think it is crucial that the public is aware (of such events) because they are life threatening, disrupt peace in the community, and are part of a tangible global crime (networks activities). People should not be misled by claims that this is an effort (to distract the public)," stated Chief of Polris Public Relations Division Boy Rafli Amar at the Polri Headquarters, Jakarta, Thursday.
He expressed the belief that the activities of radical organization ISIS were strongly evident in Indonesia and everyone should be more vigilant in this respect.
"Lets unite to preserve the nation. Do not let ISIS turn Indonesia into their training ground. We want to remind the public that what has happened is the result of the police intelligence offices hard work in their efforts to prevent terrorism acts. The bomb that we found was not engineered by us; they made it to terrorize us," he stressed.
A number of places around the world, he continued, including Cairo (Egypt), Istanbul (Turkey), Pakistan, and Yemen, have suffered many casualties due to bombings, while in Indonesia, there are none because the Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88) successfully dismantled the terrorist network the day before they could carry out their malicious act on the State Palace grounds.
On Saturday (Dec 10), Densus 88 arrested three suspected terrorists, MNS and AS (males) and DYN (female).
MNS and AS were seized on the Kalimalang fly-over road in Bekasi, while DYN was arrested in her rented flat in Bintara Jaya 8 Road, Bekasi.
The police found a home-made bomb disguised as a rice cooker in the flat.
The Jakarta Police Bomb Unit detonated one of the three active bombs found at the crime scene, Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, another suspect with the initial S, aka Abu Iza, was arrested in the Sabrang Kulon Matesih area, Karanganyar Sub-district, Solo, Central Java, on the same day.
Investigations revealed that MNS network had planned to carry out a bomb attack on the State Palace grounds in Jakarta on Sunday morning.
"The plan was for MNS and AS to take DYN to Istiqlal mosque on Sunday (Dec 10) morning. DYN would then walk to the palace on her own," Senior Commissioner Awi Setiyono, head of the Cooperation Bureau of the National Polices Public Information Services, revealed.
DYN was appointed the "bride" of the "amaliyah" act and had intended to take advantage of the timing of the guard exchange at the State Palace.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
