The Indonesian Government has started intensive efforts to trace the 16 citizens who vanished during their Turkey visit and are feared to have joined ISIS.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Interpol has written to its Turkish counterpart as part of its efforts to find 16 Indonesian citizens who have reportedly gone missing in Turkey since February 24.
"We have written a letter to the Turkish Interpol," Secretary of the National Central Bureau (NCB) of the Indonesian Interpol Brig. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said on Monday.
However, he added his side has yet to receive a reply to the letter sent last week. "We have not received any reply yet," he stated.
He refused to divulge whether the 16 Indonesian citizens, who are missing, had intentionally separated themselves from the group that was on a trip to Turkey. "We cannot assume this. Everything must be based on facts," he added.
The group comprised some 24 travelers. They had gone to Turkey on a tour arranged by a travel agent, Smailing Tour.
The Indonesian Government has started intensive efforts to trace the 16 citizens who vanished during their Turkey visit and are feared to have joined ISIS.
"There were 24 people on the tour to Turkey and 16 of them have gone missing. We are still searching for the missing 16," Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir noted here last Friday.
He added that most of the missing Indonesians were from Surabaya (East Java) while the remaining ones belonged to Surakarta (Central Java).
Arrmanatha explained that soon after their arrival in Istanbul, they separated from the tour group and did not visit the tourist locations that were outlined in the tour schedule.
"They said they would not stay with the group during the tour but would visit the locations on their own and later join the group in a certain city before returning to Indonesia," he added.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
