Two members of terror group the East Indonesia Mujahiddin (MIT) arrested by the police in Poso, Central Sulawesi, on Friday were carrying pipe bombs.

Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi said Ibadurohman aka Ibad aka Amru from Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, and Muhammad Sulaeman aka Sul aka Ifan from Madura, East Java, had been on the most-wanted list of Operation Tinombala, a joint military and police operation.

The part were caught as they were looking for food in Padalembara village, Poso Pesisir Selatan subdistrict, before Friday prayers.

"They were arrested when they were hungry and unarmed, but they had more than three pipe bombs with them," Rudy said as quoted by Antara news agency.

National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti confirmed the arrests to journalists at Mutiara Sis Al-Jufri Airport in Palu, Central Sulawesi.

"[The terrorists] are now at the Mobile Brigade Command Headquarters detention center in Poso," Badrodin said without giving further details.

Badrodin and several National Police officials visited Poso and Palu on Friday to monitor the progress of Operation Tinombala, which aims to capture MIT leader and Indonesia's most-wanted terrorist Santoso, aka Abu Wardah.

National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian and the Mobile Brigade chief Insp. Gen. Murad Ismail also joined the visit.

Badrodin said he had been given reports and presentations from the Central Sulawesi Police chief and other officials involved in the Tinombala Operation, and had concluded that many aspects of the operation were going well.

However, Badrodin said, there were several things that needed to be improved in the field, but declined to elaborate, noting that the aspects were technical. "There are 12 days left for us to discuss it comprehensively," Badrodin said.

The terrorists were caught roaming the neighborhood in search of food. When they arrived at the Poso Police station, they refused to answer questions before being given food.

"They were given food and a shot of vitamins, and their wounds were healed," a source said.

The police then took the pair to Mobile Brigade headquarters in  Poso  for further questioning. (afr/bbn)

Source:
courtesy of THE JAKARTA POST

by Ruslan Sangadji

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