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JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian police announced Thursday they have arrested 41 suspected militants following last month's twin suicide bombings in the capital that killed three policemen.
Nine among them have been named as suspects in connection with the May 24 attack targeting police that also wounded six police and five civilians, said national police spokesman Maj. Gen. Setyo Wasisto.
Five others, including the wives of the suicide bombers, were released due to a lack of evidence. The remaining detainees included those wanted for other terrorism-related offenses, Wasisto said.
Wasisto said the militants were captured in Jakarta, neighboring provinces of West Java and Banten as well as Central and East Java, Sumatra island and West Nusatenggara. The latest arrest was made in Banten on Wednesday, four days after police foiled a plot to attack a police station in the town of Bima in West Nusatenggara.
Police have identified the May suicide bombers and the nine suspects as members of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah, a network of Indonesian extremist groups set up in 2015 that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Muslim-majority Indonesia has carried out a sustained crackdown on militants since the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, but a new threat has emerged from Islamic State group sympathizers.
Wasisto said the joint operation by police and the anti-terrorism squad is also aimed at safeguarding next week's celebration of the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
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This story corrects the number of suspects in May bombing.
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