Early this morning, the Densus 88 counter-terrorism unit, comprised of officers from the Jakarta Metro Police and the Depok Police, arrested three men initially thought to be involved with terrorist activities in Indonesia.
However, after some investigation, the police admitted that the three men are not terrorists, and, consequently, had no involvement in yesterday’s terror attacks on Jakarta.
“The suspects are not terrorists. We believe they’re only guilty of making threats [against others]. We’re still looking into it,” said Depok Police Chief Grand Commissioner Dwiyono, as quoted by Vivanews today.
One of the arrested men, identified as Sudirman, said he was shocked that he was arrested on suspicions of being a terrorist.
S explained that the whole incident was a misunderstanding. Recently, Sudirman, his brother Saiful, and his friend Isro, went to visit Saiful’s ex wife Meli to take back Saiful’s mobile phone, which they believed to be with Saiful’s daughter, Nurul.
It’s not clear if the men went to visit Meli and Nurul peacefully, but after they left, Nurul reported them to the police and accused them of possessing firearms and explosives.
“I was shocked when the police arrested us. They said I was a terrorist, and that I was involved in the attack on Sarinah,” Sudirman said.
“It turned out that the one who reported and accused us was my own niece, Nurul. I couldn’t believe it. How could she say that her father and uncle are terrorists? I found out from a police officer that she filed a dishonest report.”
The men were cleared of terrorism charges after police interrogation and the fact that the police did not find firearms and explosives in their possession.
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