Indonesia Detains ’ISIL’ Recruiters
Local Editor
Indonesian anti-terror police have arrested five men who arranged for a group of mostly women and children to try and enter Syria to join "ISIL", an official said.
Fears have been growing about the influence of "ISIL" in Indonesia, which is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation. Hundreds of Indonesians are feared to have joined the terrorist groups.
In a series of raids in and around Jakarta at the weekend, elite anti-terror police rounded up the five men, who are suspected of helping the 16 people who were recently caught.
The men are accused of involvement in "coaching, guidance, and recruitment of sympathizers of "ISIL" to depart to Iraq and Syria... and the collection and distribution of funds for the activities of "ISIL" volunteers in Indonesia," said national police spokesman Rikwanto, who goes by one name, late Sunday.
Four were charged specifically with helping arrange documents for the group to depart for Turkey, as well as previously helping another 21 Indonesians who went to join "ISIL".
One of the suspects faced a separate charge of urging people to join "ISIL" on his website, as well as creating and uploading a video online of children being trained by the extremists.
Police did not name any of the suspects.
They also confiscated items including nine mobile phones, eight million rupiah ($600) and $5,300 in US dollars.
The 16 recently arrested are still in detention in Turkey.
Jakarta has already banned support for "ISIL" although experts have called on authorities to take further steps to stop the flow of fighters.
Indonesia has waged a crackdown on militant groups for more than a decade following attacks on Western targets, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people. The campaign has been credited with weakening key networks.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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