170 suspected terrorist files ready to be submitted: Police

Police have arrested 350 suspected terrorists following Surabaya bombings.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — National Police has completed 170 files of suspected terrorist arrested after a series of attacks in Surabaya, East Java. All files to be submitted to the prosecution process.

“The file has been complete for trial,” said National Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo on Tuesday (Sept 18).

Dedi explained 350 people have been arrested and detained, related to the terror cases, both in Jakarta and several regions. He explained the terrorist suspects are detained at the regional police office in various regions and in Jakarta.

According to Dedi, the arrest of terror suspects after Surabaya attacks was done to secure a number major events in Indonesia, such as International Monetary Fund (IMF) - World Bank Meeting and 2019 general election. He said terrorism is a potential security disturbance in the election.

Therefore, National Police’s Densus 88 counterterrorism squad together with anti-terrorism task force at regionals police continue to take preventative steps. This massive arrest is also based on Law No. 5/2018 on Eradication of Terrorism Crime, which has passed after Surabaya bombing attacks.

A series of suicide bombings in Surabaya happened on May 13 morning at around 7.30 am at three houses of worship, the Catholic Church of Immaculate Santa Maria (SMTB), the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) on Diponegoro Surabaya street and Pentecost Church on Arjuno Surabaya street.

"If the Densus Team finds a strong indication of the action plan to be carried out by the sleeping cell, law enforcement efforts will be carried out immediately to minimize the action," Dedi explained.

Meanwhile, terrorism observer from The Community of Ideological Islamic Analyst (CIIA) Harits Abu Ulya assessed that the actions of National Police must really fulfill the legal requirements. He said police can arrest many people, as long as they fulfill the legal requirements to be arrested.

However, the apparatus should also not neglect presumption of innocence. Because, people have the same position in the eyes of the law. Harits said the legal treatment received by the suspected terrorists must also be in accordance with the rule of law.

"There are criminal justice systems that must be obeyed and there should be no abuse of power," Harits said.

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