ICC Note:

The Indonesian police arrested nine people in connection with the Islamic State who are thought to be instigators of violence during the last round of protests on November 4th against Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (also known as “Ahok”). Ahok is Jakarta’s first Christian-Chinese governor and is under investigation for blaspheming the Quran. According to General Boy Rafly Amar, “their contacts with the Islamic State are certain.” Investigators allege that the nine men intended to steal weapons from police and fire into the crowd to incite violence. The police, however, were not carrying firearms that day. Investigators say that there is no known link between the arrested suspects and the radical group, Islamic Defenders Front, which is organizing the protests.

11/29/2016 Indonesia (Asia News) – Indonesian police have arrested nine potential terrorists linked to the Islamic State who participated in the mass demonstrations against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as “Ahok”, governor of Jakarta, in order to generate chaos and violence. General Boy Rafly Amar confirmed the arrests last November 26: “[The] suspects were taken in Bekasi and West Jakarta, and their contacts with the Islamic State are certain.”

November 4, nearly 100 thousand radical Islamists took to the streets to demand the condemnation of Ahok and the withdrawal of his candidacy for governor in elections in February 2017. The politician is accused of blasphemy against Islam will go to trial in the coming weeks. The protest, which resulted in violence, suffered the infiltration of political agitators with the aim of discrediting President Joko Widodo, an ally of the governor.

According to investigators, the project of the nine men was to steal weapons from officers during the march and fire on the crowd. The police, however, said the police spokesman, were not bearing arms that day.

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