Terrorist Threats Emerge Amid The High COVID-19

JAKARTA - Terrorist groups do not know the time of movement, including when the case of COVID-19 in Indonesia is high. It was proven, with two suspected terrorists from the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) network who were arrested in Jakarta. Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police Public Relations Division Kombes Ahmad Ramadhan said that the two terrorist suspects played a role in receiving packages containing several firearms (senpi). The DKI Jakarta area in collaboration with the Bangka Belitung Regional Task Force has arrested 2 suspected terrorists, their names are DS and SY," Ramadhan told reporters, Wednesday, June 30. The packages that DS and SY received were sent from other terrorist suspects with the initials AS who located in Bangka Belitung. He had been previously arrested by Densus 88 Anti-terror. "His role is to receive packages from US brothers sent from Bangka Belitung Province," said Ramadhan. Based on the examination, the packages received by the two suspected terrorists contained several rifles and ammunition. In fact, one of them was a long-barreled rifle. "The powder that was secured were 3 long rifles with 120 rounds of ammunition. Then 3 revolver rifles with 100 rounds of ammunition, two daggers and some other evidence," said Ramadhan. .

The two terrorist suspects, continued Ramadhan, were arrested in different areas. The suspected terrorist DS was arrested in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta. Meanwhile, SY was arrested in Kembangan, West Jakarta. However, they were arrested on the same day, June 30. Where, that day the spread of COVID-19 was very high. Referring to data from the Ministry of Health, there were 21,807 positive cases of COVID-19. The positive cases were found based on the results of the examination of 142,731 specimens. In fact, for Jakarta there were 7,680 new positive cases. So, accumulatively 543,468 people have contracted COVID-19 since the first case was discovered. On the other hand, although it is undeniable, during the pandemic there were quite a number of suspected terrorists, but the trend of radicalism actually decreased. Head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) Komjen Boy Rafli Amar revealed that the declining trend of potential radicalism during the COVID-19 pandemic was evident from the results of a survey conducted by BNPT with Alvara Research and the Nasarudin Umar Foundation. In the survey, it was stated that Indonesia was in the medium category of countries affected by terrorism. Meanwhile, at the regional level in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is still safer than the Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar." The results of a survey conducted by BNPT with Alvara Research Nasarudin Umar Foundation, stated that the trend of potential radicalism in Indonesia decreased from 2017 which was 55.2 percent or in the medium category. In 2019 it was 38.4 percent in the low category and to 14 percent in 2020, which is a very low category," said Boy. However, Boy continued, globally Indonesia must remain vigilant because of the spread of radicalism. This is done through online media. This, he said, was called by the United Nations by issuing resolution number 532 on July 1, 2020 in order to maintain international peace and security during the pandemic. various parts of the world," he said. Even so, added Boy, the request for a ceasefire did not last long I am for military operations against international terrorists, including ISI and Al Qaeda. "This shows that efforts to eradicate international terrorism are still being carried out even though they are facing a pandemic," he concluded.