Densus 88 Antiterror Waiting For Chief Of Police To Hunt KKB

ILLUSTRATION/SATGAS NEMANGKAWI PAPUA (PUSPEN TNI)

JAKARTA - The National Police will involve Densus 88 Anti-terror in hunting down and arresting armed criminal groups (KKB). The involvement of Densus 88 Anti-terror after the KKB status was considered a terrorist.

"Of course, Densus 88 Anti-terror will be ready to assist the Nemangkawi Operations Task Force, which is currently on duty to hunt down KKB in Papua," said Head of Public Relations Division of the National Police, Kombes Ahmad Ramadhan, to reporters, Friday, April 30.

The involvement of Densus 88 Anti-terror in assisting other task forces is not new. Several times these troops were involved in hunting down radical groups.

One example is helping the Tinombala Task Force, which has now changed its name to Satgas Madago Raya. The Densus was involved in hunting down members of the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) group led by Ali Kalora.

However, Ramadhan said, the involvement of the Densus 88 Anti-terror in helping to hunt down the KKB was still awaiting direction. Later, the National Police Chief, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, will immediately give the order.

"Currently, we are still waiting for an order from the National Police Chief," said Ramadhan.

The government affirms all organizations and people who are members of and support the separatist movement as terrorists. Including the armed criminal group (KKB) in Papua.

This was conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD after a series of attacks carried out by armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua.

"The government considers that organizations and people in Papua who commit massive violence are categorized as terrorists," Mahfud said in a press conference held at his office, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Thursday, April 29.

This attitude, he continued, is in line with the statements of a number of figures and organizations, such as BIN, Polri, TNI to the Chairman of the MPR.

"And the fact that many Papuan community and traditional leaders came to the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs as well as the official Papuan leadership who expressed support for the government to do what is necessary to deal with recent violence in Papua," he said

For this reason, in accordance with the provisions contained in Law Number 5 of 2018, it is fitting that this KKB be categorized as a terrorist.

"This is in accordance with the provisions of Law Number 5 of 2018 in which what the terrorists say is whoever is threatening, mobilizing and organizing terrorism," said Mahfud.

"Meanwhile, terrorism is any act that uses violence or threats of violence that create an atmosphere of terror or widespread fear that can cause mass casualties," he concluded.