FILE PHOTO: In this file photo taken on June 21, 2012, a police commando handcuffs convicted Islamic extremist Umar Patek (C) after a Jakarta court sentenced Patek to 20 years in jail for acts of terror related to the 2002 Bali bombings. Since 2023, Indonesia's counterterrorism unit Densus 88 has maintained a zero-terror-attack record. - AFP
JAKARTA: Indonesia's counterterrorism unit Densus 88 has foiled several terrorist attack plots and arrested 51 terrorism suspects since January this year, a senior police official said on Tuesday (Dec 31).
The achievements reflected the effectiveness of a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy that emphasises early detection, preventive law enforcement actions, the dissemination of moderate narratives to counter extremism, the empowerment of former convicts and their families, as well as close national and international cooperation, Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Indonesian National Police, Commissioner General Syahardiantono said during a briefing.
"Through proactive law enforcement measures, Densus 88 has maintained a zero-terror-attack record from 2023 to 2025, effectively suppressing potential threats and safeguarding national security," he added.
Syahardiantono noted that the results were supported by the arrest of 147 terrorism suspects in 2023, 55 in 2024 and 51 in 2025.
He added that in 2025, Densus 88 successfully dismantled several major terrorism-related cases, including disrupting radical networks targeting minors through online recruitment, thwarting planned attacks by extremist groups, and taking preventive action during major public security periods such as Christmas and the New Year. - Xinhua
