370 Terrorist Suspects Detained in 2021, Anti-Terror Police Strengthened

TheIndonesia.co - The Special Detachment Team (Densus) 88 Anti-terror Police has carried out law enforcement for criminal acts of terrorism by arresting 370 suspects, an increase compared to 2020 as many as 232 people.

The Head of the Operational Assistance Section (Kabag Banops) of Densus 88 Anti-terror Police Grand Commissioner Aswin Siregar said the increase occurred because the efforts to prevent and prosecute terrorists were increasingly effective. "Detachment 88's performance is increasing and becoming more effective," said Aswin, in Jakarta, Friday, December 24, 2021.

According to Aswin, the increasing number of terrorist suspects arrested does not mean that terrorist networks are expanding in Indonesia. He stated that technological advances and the pandemic conditions that occurred during the last two years had pushed everyone into a virtual world that is without limits and exploited by terrorist networks.

Densus 88 also began targeting members of terrorist groups who work in the field of information technology (IT), such as the arrest of three terrorist suspects in Central Java on Wednesday.

"Yes (the arrest of Central Java, ed) is one of them. But actually, all groups are currently using IT, especially multimedia and social media in the spread of understanding, communication, and various other terrorist network activities," said Aswin.

Aswin added the Anti-terror Detachment 88 of the National Police carried out a more effective method in minimizing terror acts carried out by terrorist groups. "And every law enforcement effort aims to eradicate existing terrorist networks or groups," said Aswin.

The National Police Chief General Police Listyo Sigit Prabowo has strengthened the Anti-Terror Detachment 88 of the Police organization by rotating, transferring, and placing several directors from mid-level officers to high-ranking officers.

Five middle-level officers were promoted to one-star generals. Grand Commissioner Police Simson Zet Ringu was confirmed as Intelligence Director of Detachment 88 of the National Police with the rank of brigadier general. Grand Commissioner Police Soeseno Noerhandoko was confirmed as Director of Action for Densus 88 Anti-terror.