It might seem like an absurd premise, but it’s a terrorist plot that’s deadly serious. Indonesian authorities have arrested six men — aged 19 to 46 — who have been accused of trying to attack Marina Bay by way of a rocket fired from Batam.
Indonesia’s elite counter-terrorism squad, Special Detachment 88, arrested the suspects at various locations across Batam, according to Tribun Batam. The group reportedly belonged to the Katibah Nusantara network, the Southeast Asian militant unit under the Islamic State.
31-year-old Gigih Rahmat was identified as the group’s ring leader. Other suspects arrested include Trio Syafrido, 46, Eka Saputra, 35, Tarmidzi, Hadi Gusti Yanda, 20, and M Tegar Sucianto, 19.
Bahrun Naim, the notorious Indonesian militant who had allegedly masterminded the bomb-and-gun assault in central Jakarta back in January, is also believed to be involved.
Minister of Home Affairs K Shanmugam noted earlier in March that Bahrun had been suspected of encouraging attacks in Singapore. Bahrun now operates out of Syria, and reportedly helped the six suspects hatch the plan. Gigih is suspected of receiving and channelling funds from Bahrun — funds meant for radical activities.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has responded, stating that they are aware of the attack plan and have been working with their Indonesian counterparts since the discovery of the plot. The police as well as other agencies have stepped up security measures in response to the threat and the prevailing security situation, while the public are advised to remain vigilant.
According to our colleagues at Coconuts Jakarta, the police will be conducting a press conference soon. We’ll update this story when we get more information.
