Police Reveals Reasons For Terrorist Groups Moving To Merauke

JAKARTA - The National Police said that the massive action taken by the Densus 88 Anti-terror was one of the reasons the terror group moved to Merauke, Papua.

Karo Penmas Polri Division Brigadier General Rusdi Hartono said that with the action, terrorist groups were looking for safe places to hide.

"Yes, automatically when the activity of law enforcement by Densus is so high," Rusdi told reporters, Monday, June 7.

"Of course they will also try to get out of this activity, in the end some of them came out of Makassar to Merauke," continued Rusdi.

Although these terrorism groups continue to move, Rusdi emphasized that the Anti-terror Detachment 88 continues to map their movements. Until later action will be carried out with arrests.

"High law enforcement activities carried out by Densus against terrorist groups in the country are like that," he said.

Previously, the suspected terrorists who were arrested in Merauke were linked to the study group Villa Mutiara Makassar.

"Yes, once again there is contact between them, because indeed the case in Merauke was the result of a development from Makassar. So Makassar, Balikpapan and Merauke are interrelated," he said.

As many as 13 suspected terrorists were arrested in Merauke, they were members of the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) group who pledged allegiance to ISIS.

According to him, JAD Merauke and Villa Mutiara Makassar have both attended recitations and have met each other. "Yes, they have met," he said.

In addition, the group is in contact with various existing communication platforms such as WhatsApp groups. "Yes, it's not only that (the WA group) that they can already know each other, people in Merauke," he said.