Durian. Indonesian Police’s anti-terror unit Detachment 88 on Jan.6 in Makassar, South Sulawesi, have killed two terrorists who involved in funding bombings at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu, Philippines in 2019.
Besides killing the two terrorists, police also arrested 18 others, one of them is injured and under medical treatment at a police hospital in Makassar, a National Police (Polri) spokesperson Chief Comrs. Ahmad Ramadhan said in Jakarta.
‘’This morning, Detachment 88 anti-terror from the National Police headquarters have arrested terrorists, members of Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) that is affiliated or supporting caliphate ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]…from the law enforcement measure, Detachment 88 have arrested 20 terrorists,’’ Ramadhan explained.
Those terrorists were arrested at Villa Mutiara in Makassar. Police mentioned the two terrorists who were killed in the raid at the villa as M.R.S. (46) and S.A. (23), while local media reported as M Rizaldy (46) dan Sanjai Ajis (23).
Villa Mutiara was one of the terrorist group’s meeting points especially for its sub-group called anshar daulah.
The group has connection with Islamic boarding school runs by Arr-Ridho foundation.
Rizaldy and Ajis along with hundreds others were taken oath to be devoted to ISIS in 2015 at Arr-Ridho Islamic boarding school that was led by Bashir, a terrorist convict who has died when serving his jail term at Nusakambangan prison in Central Java, Ramadhan said.
With their families, Rizaldy and Ajis were planned to move to Syria in 2016 but cancelled when they have reached Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten, the police spokesperson said.
‘’[They] were involved in funding suicide bombers at the cathedral in Sulu, Phillipines,’’ Ramadhan added.
The bombers of the bombings were Indonesian couples originally from South Sulawesi Rullie Rian Zeke and wife Ulfah Handayani Saleh.
ISIS claimed responsible for the bombings launched by the terrorists couple.
The bombers were smuggled by terrorist fugitive Andi Baso to Philippines from December 2018. Security forces are still hunting for Baso who is believed still hiding in Philippines. Baso was involved in a church bombing in Indonesia’s Samarinda.
Ramadhan said Rizaldy and Ajis had hided Andi Baso during his run.
Members of JAD group at Villa Mutiara have trained for shooting and mountain hiking since October last year, the police spokesperson said.
