District police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Tri Bisono Sumiharso on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of AM (44), a resident of Puri Brawijaya Permai housing estate in Kebalenan.
"It is true, Densus 88 arrested a Banyuwangi resident at around 7.30 p.m. on Monday and the person has been taken to the national police headquarters," he told newsmen.
However, Sumiharso declined to divulge any detail about AMs terrorism cell saying "I dont have that authority. AM has been taken to Jakarta, so let us just wait for more developments from the national police headquarters."
The head of the housing estate neighborhood, Asmoro, stated that the suspect had been living in the estate for the past four years.
"I was surprised when I was told about AMs arrest on Monday night. Densus 88 did not inform us about it," he added.
According to him, AM has been a businessman selling crackers made from fish skin. He has a wife and three children.
"He would always be good and polite to neighbors and would participate in most of the activities in the neighborhood; so, I doubt he is a terror suspect," Asmoro reflected.
He pointed out that AM used to live with his parents-in-law in Penganjuran village, Banyuwangi, and he was not a local resident but hailed from Semarang, Central Java, according to his ID.
Earlier, on Sunday (December 21), Densus 88 had arrested another suspected terrorist, Toni, from Lamongan district, East Java.
Toni has been on the polices wanted list for his role in planning a training program under Dulmatin in Jantho, Aceh, Head of the Public Information Division of the National Police Headquarters Snr. Comsr. Agus Rianto said here on Monday.
Toni had long been a fugitive, he added.
Toni, who had many aliases such as Tony Sangaralo, Amir, Fadhil, and Abu Sauqi, was working as a chicken seller when he was arrested. He used to live in the Kalimalang hamlet of Glagah subdistrict, Lamongan district, East Java.
He was arrested at the Bandeng three-way intersection in Glagah subdistrict on Sunday at 8.15 p.m. local time.
Rianto pointed out that Toni did not resist when the Densus 88 officers tried to catch him.
Police are investigating his alleged involvement in terrorism networks, he affirmed.
In September 2014, Densus 88 had arrested a terror suspect from Purworejo district, Central Java.
The suspected terrorist, identified as Chandra, was arrested while he was on his way to the market near his home. He was working as a soybean milk vendor, Rianto stated.
Chandra was arrested for providing shelter to Noordin M. Top and Dr. Azahari, both wanted by police since 2004.
Malaysian nationals Noordin and Azahari, who are believed to have orchestrated several bombings in Indonesia, are already reported dead.
While Dr. Azahari blew himself up during a raid in Batu, Malang, East Java, on November 9, 2005, Noordin was killed during a raid in Solo, Central Java, on September 17, 2009.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
