5 Suspected ISIS Affiliated Terrorists Spread Propaganda Posters, Spread Terror And Awakening Sleeping Cells

Karo Penmas, Police Public Relations Division, Brigadier General Ahmad Ramadhan/DOC PR POLRI

JAKARTA - The National Police said that five terrorist suspects suspected of being affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) often spread propaganda-based posters on social media. The goal is to spread terror to awaken terrorism sleeper cells.

"It can trigger acts of terrorism, secondly it will create fear," said Head of Public Information Bureau (Karo Penmas) of the Public Relations Division of the National Police (Polri) Brigadier General Ahmad Ramadhan to reporters, Thursday, March 24.

Based on preliminary investigations, the suspected terrorists got the propaganda content directly from the ISIS network. But the content is changed first so that their desired goals are achieved.

"It is connected to the ISIS network there. But in the language, not in Indonesian. Now translated, the picture is the same. Then it is translated into Indonesian and English," said Ramadhan.

"Of course, there is intense communication between them and the ISIS group," he continued.

The propaganda posters, continued Ramadhan, were spread by the suspects throughout social media. However, most of the spread is still through the Instagram and Telegram platforms.

Currently, Densus 88 is still investigating the statements of the five suspects. Including, exploring whether or not there is another assistance provided by the ISIS network to them.

"We are still exploring," said Ramadhan

Detachment 88 Anti-terror previously arrested five suspected terrorists suspected of being affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). They are said to often spread propaganda content of the terrorist group.

The terrorists had the initials MR, HP, MI, RBS, and DK who were members of the Annajiyah Media Cebter. They were arrested at different locations from 9 to 15 March.