Arrest of illegal Indonesian weapons supplier unmasks deep terrorism connections

INDONESIA: Indonesian authorities have apprehended a weapons supplier connected to DE, an employee of the state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), who was captured earlier by Densus 88 Antiteror Polri (the Indonesian National Police’s Counterterrorism Unit).

DE was arrested due to his involvement in a terrorist network. During a search operation, Densus 88 discovered a cache of modified long-barreled airguns converted into firearms.

Alongside makeshift weapons, the team also seized hundreds of rounds of ammunition, magazines, and flags bearing the emblem of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

DE, who had sworn allegiance to the ISIS terrorist group, was apprehended not far from his residence on Jalan Raya Bulak Sentul, RT 07 RW 27, Harapan Jaya, North Bekasi, on Monday (14 Aug) afternoon.

The Metro Jaya Regional Police affirm that the firearms supplier to the terrorism suspect, Dananjaya Erbaning, an employee of KAI, is not from the police force. (Photo: INews)

Director of the Criminal Investigation Unit (Dirreskrimum) at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Commissioner General Hengki Haryadi, elucidated that their investigations had led to the identification of the supplier of DE’s weapons.

“They (DE and the weapons supplier) didn’t meet in person; their interactions were solely online using ever-changing account names,” revealed Hengki.

Earlier, the Spokesperson of the Indonesian Police’s Special Detachment (Densus) 88 Antiteror, Commissioner General Aswin Siregar, explained that DE was suspected of acquiring firearms and ammunition from an online marketplace or platform.

While not mentioning the platform’s name, Aswin indicated that this marketplace hosted sellers allegedly involved in weapon trading.

Aswin suggested that DE used this marketplace not only for arms deals but also as camouflage to conceal his weapon-related activities.

The apprehended supplier, identified as a recidivist involved in the illegal arms trade, has already been captured.

Hengki stated, “The supplier is a civilian, and we have arrested him. He is a recidivist; we have apprehended him before, and he was previously linked to illegal firearm distribution,” stated Hengki during a press conference at the Metro Jaya Regional Police Headquarters, Friday (18 Aug).

Hengki revealed that the police had also arrested firearm buyers, including all the evidence they had obtained from the supplier. However, among the arrested buyers, only DE was connected to the terrorism network.

“At this point, we have confiscated 18 modified firearms outside of those revealed by Densus in Bekasi recently,” he added.

However, Hengki did not disclose the names of those apprehended in the illegal arms trade case. He only mentioned that three police officers were arrested for their involvement.

Importantly, Hengki confirmed that these three officers, despite also purchasing illegal weapons from the Semarang factory, were not connected to the terrorism suspect DE.

The three police officers involved in purchasing illegal weapons were identified as Chief Police Brigadier (Bripka) Reynaldi Prakoso from the General Crime Investigation Directorate of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Chief Police Brigadier (Bripka) Syarif Mukhsin from the Renmin Samapta Unit of the Cirebon City Police, and Police Inspector First Class (Iptu) Muhamad Yudi Saputra, Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit at the North Bekasi Police Sector.

Reynaldi and Yudi have been placed in special detention facilities, while Syarif’s case is being handled by the West Java Regional Police.

Hengki further added that, apart from the supplier, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s Criminal Investigation Directorate had arrested individuals suspected of converting airguns into firearms.

They also conducted a search at a factory involved in modifying airguns into weapons. Hengki explained that their investigation into the circulation of homemade firearms in the community had begun before Densus 88 arrested DE in Bekasi.

“Densus 88 and the Jakarta Metropolitan Police have coordinated in unveiling this case,” Hengki noted.

In response to these developments, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) announced the freezing of the bank accounts of the terrorism suspect, an employee of PT KAI, apprehended by Densus 88 in Bekasi, West Java.

The police have released an image of the terrorism suspect with the initials DE, an employee of PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), who has pledged support for the ISIS terrorist group. (Source: KOMPAS.com)

“The bank accounts of the PT KAI employee who is a terrorism suspect have been blocked,” stated Ivan Yustiavandana, Head of PPATK, revealing that the transactions involved billions of Indonesian rupiah.

Ivan elaborated that PPATK was closely collaborating with Densus 88 in support of the ongoing analysis process. “To support our analysis efforts, we are continuing to work with Densus 88,” Ivan concluded.

The recent involvement of an employee of PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) in a terrorism case has raised concerns about the state-owned enterprise’s credibility.

This issue prompted comments from the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam), Mahfud MD.

According to Mahfud, PT KAI may have faltered in overseeing its employees. “It’s possible (that they failed or were negligent in supervision).

From an ideological perspective, maybe. From a professional and management perspective, things might be fine. But ideologically, there seems to be a breach,” Mahfud stated on Friday (18 Aug).

Mahfud, however, declined to explain why PT KAI employees were exposed to radical ideologies despite cooperating with the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT).

“I don’t know, ask them. Why are you asking me?” he responded.