Indonesia‘s Special Detachment 88 Anti-Terror Unit arrested three individuals suspected of involvement with the Anshor Daulah network in Central Java. Anshor Daulah (Jamaah Ansharut Daulah) is an Indonesian terrorist body that has been reported to be connected to the 2018 Surabaya bombings as well as the 2019 Jolo Cathedral attacks. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has been noted as asserting responsibility for both attacks.  The group was labelled by the United States Department of State as a terrorist association in 2017.

The detentions took place on Monday, November 4, 2024. Brigadier General Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko, Head of the Public Information Bureau of the National Police’s Public Relations Division, verified that the suspects, pinpointed by initials BI, ST, and SQ, are alleged associates of Anshor Daulah.

“These individuals are members of Anshor Daulah in Central Java. They were discovered to have plans for terror actions and have been spreading provocative and propagandist statements on social media to instigate terrorism,”

Brigadier General Trunoyudo said.

According to Trunoyudo, the suspects were imprisoned in separate locations. BI was arrested in Kudus Regency, ST in Demak Regency, and SQ in Karanganyar Regency. Police also captured evidence during the operation, including 20 bladed spears (9 knives and 11 machetes), a bow with seven arrows, 30 books fostering radicalism, one tablet, two mobile phones, and three banners linked with Jamaah Ansharut Daulah.

Indonesian authorities reiterated that, by the court ruling, Anshor Daulah is categorised as a terrorist organisation. They urged the public to remain awake and avoid affiliation with groups that encourage radical ideologies. They added that these detentions underscore the ongoing actions by groups like Anshor Daulah and Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) to systematically recruit members and spread misleading ideologies within communities.