by Abu Hanifah
JAKARTA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is beefing up security in anticipation of possible attacks by supporters of a radical group leader who was sentenced to death for a series of deadly terror attacks in the nation.
As a precautionary measure, anti-terror units have been established in provincial police headquarters, closely coordinating with national police's anti-terror squad of Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88), a senior police officer said.
"The provincial anti-terror units would closely monitor activities of the identified organizations from the data supplied by Densus 88. They would act together to ensure the security in each province," Indonesian Police Headquarters spokesperson Setyo Wasisto said.
The joint operation carried out by Densus 88 and provincial police would intercept those possibly involved in radical group's cells listed in police's data, who may plan attacks following legal proceedings against their leader.
Under the intensified security operation, a terrorist suspect allegedly carrying a bomb was shot by the police in West Java province's regency of Subang, shortly after the court handed down a death sentence against leader of radical group Jamaah Anshaarut Daulah (JAD) Aman Abdurrahman on Friday, Setyo said.
The suspect, identified as M, was a member of JAD operating in Subang and Indramayu regencies in West Java province, Setyo said, adding that he died while being rushed to hospital.
Police had to shoot the terrorist suspect as he resisted the arrest, he said.
Aman, who leads the homegrown radical group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group, was charged with masterminding deadly attacks in Jakarta, as well as in East Kalimantan and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provinces, which killed civilians, police and the terrorists themselves in the last years.
Parts of the attacks were claimed by IS as its operation in Southeast Asia.
Besides the foiled attack in Subang, the police also shot to death two terrorist suspects and arrested another one in suburban Jakarta's Depok the next day.
The killed suspects, identified as AS and AZW, were shot after they refused to surrender while being intercepted by police in the township's main street.
"They tried to retaliate the police with pistol and military dagger during the arrest. Police had no other choice but shoot at them. They died on the scene," police spokesperson Muhammad Iqbal said.
They were former jihadists who joined IS in Syria and returned to Indonesia, according to police.
After examining the evidences that police confiscated from bodies of the two, police learned they had planned attacks in the upcoming simultaneous regional election scheduled for Wednesday, Iqbal added.
The election to select regional leaders would be held on the same day in 171 provinces, regencies and municipalities across the nation.
Iqbal added that police also arrested a terrorist suspect, identified as MM, in Depok. Further investigation against the member of JAD Bogor branch, West Java, was underway to get information on possible attacks in the future.
Indonesia saw escalating terror activities during the trials against Aman in the last few months, including a deadly riot in the high security prison in Depok earlier last month.
Suicidal bombings and attacks occurred in churches and municipal police headquarters in Surabaya and Riau provincial headquarters, killing the perpetrators and police.
Indonesian police have arrested at least 110 terrorist suspects, mostly JAD members involved in those bombings.
