Brawijaya University Malang Confirms One Student Arrested By Densus 88, International Relations Student With GPA Above 3

Vice Chancellor III for Student Affairs Universitas Brawijaya Prof Abdul Hakim (left) delivered a press statement (ANTARA/Vicki Febrianto)

MALANG - Brawijaya University confirmed that one of its students was secured by the Special Detachment (Densus) 88 Anti-terror team of the National Police for allegedly being a sympathizer of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group.

"There was a UB student with the initials IA who was arrested yesterday by Densus 88, we already know about it. We are very sorry and concerned about this incident", said Vice-Chancellor III for Student Affairs Universitas Brawijaya (UB) Prof Abdul Hakim as reported by Antara, Wednesday, May 25.

"We are concerned because after all this incident has affected the public's image of UB", he said.

Abdul explained that the 22-year-old student with the initials IA who was arrested on Monday, May 23 by the Police Anti-terror Detachment 88 team in the Dinoyo Village area, Malang City, was a sixth-semester student of 2019 majoring in International Relations.

"From the achievement index obtained, the student is in the relatively intelligent category", he said, adding that the student's cumulative achievement index was above 3.

He said the university had fully handed over the handling of the case to the police and was waiting for the results of the examination conducted by the police to determine the follow-up action.

"We follow the applicable rules. If there is a definite or Inkrah legal stipulation, then the campus will definitely give sanctions according to the violations and existing rules", he said.

As previously reported, the National Police's Anti-terror Detachment 88 Team secured one person suspected of being an ISIS sympathizer at a boarding house in the Dinoyo Village area, Lowokwaru District, Malang City, on Monday, May 23.

The perpetrators are suspected of being involved in fundraising activities to help ISIS activities in Indonesia as well as managing social media to spread ISIS materials on terrorism.

In addition, he is suspected of having intense communication with someone with the initials MR, a terrorism suspect from the Jamaah Ansharud Daulah (JAD) group who was arrested in early 2022 for allegedly involved in planning Amaliah (attempts to carry out suicide bombing attacks) in public facilities and police stations.