Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Police said the terrorist suspect caught in Purbalingga on Sunday morning is a member of the group led by Farhan who was killed in September in Solo, Central Java.

"The suspect, AZ, in his initials, is connected with the Farhan group that attacked a police post with a grenade in Gladak (Solo)," National Police head of public relations division, Inspector General Suhardi Alius, said when contacted for confirmation about the issue here on Sunday.

Farhan was killed during an ambush on Jalan Veteran in Solo on August 31.

He was believed to be involved in terrorist actions in the town before, such as an attack on a police post in Singosaren, Solo, on August 30 that left a police officer dead and also a grenade attack on another police post in the town.

AZ meanwhile was caught at 5.30 am by Densus 88 counter-terrorism squad in the village of Gumuruh, Purbalingga district, Central Java, on Sunday.

According to reports from ANTARA bureau in Semarang, Central Java, AZ is Ali Zaenal Abidin (20), a student of the Al Suchty Islamic boarding school in Purbalingga.

A teacher from the school, Ahmad Toha Husein, said Ali Zaenal hails from Ngruki, Sukoharjo, Central Java, and had only been two months studying in the school before he was caught.

"He is a bright student and has never shown any suspicious behavior. We are shocked to hear he was caught by Densus 88," he said.

He said he had informed his family in Ngruki about his arrest.

(J010*I029/H-YH/S012)

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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