Indonesian police say New Year terror plot foiled, 5 held

Indonesian police arrested nine suspected terrorists in the raids.

A source at the counterterrorism police unit Detachment 88 told Kyodo News that two suspects, identified as Asep Urip, 31, and Zaenal, 35, a teacher and a student at a Muslim boarding school, were arrested Friday in the town of Tasikmalaya in West Java Province.

Increase in anti-western chatter: Sidney Jones.

Police seized materials to make bombs and some books on Islamic jihad at his house.

“Overall Australia and Indonesia are co-operating extremely closely on the whole issue of countering terrorism… we will continue to co-operate in sharing information, sharing intelligence, for the safety and security of our respective people and the region”.

Four suspects were said to be affiliated with an extremist group called Jemaah Islamiyah, which killed more than 200 people in the 2002 bombing of a Balinese nightclub, and is reportedly linked to Al Qaeda, police said.

The man’s name is understood to be Abdul Karim aka Abu Jundi.

Police have been largely successful in destroying domestic militant cells since then, but officials now worry about a resurgence in militancy inspired by groups such as Islamic State and Indonesians who return after fighting with the group.

Chemicals and weapons were found buried under a tree at one raid site in the city of Solo.

Mr Haiti said the men appeared to have prepared imminent attacks in Sumatra and Java.

According to the report, which cited National Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti, the raids to arrest the suspects were carried out after the FBI and the Australian Federal Police provided the Indonesian authorities with intelligence regarding the terror activities.

That led to more raids across Java, including one on Saturday night in central Java, where police said they found bomb-making materials including fertiliser, ball bearings, nails and electronic switches.

Indonesian police beefed up security outside several embassies – including the Australian Embassy – shopping malls and places of worship after the Paris attacks.

Suspicions that a terror attack was in preparation for the end of this month in Java.