An acid attack that maimed a local rights activist was an act of terror, President Prabowo Subianto said in an interview.
Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of Jakarta-based NGO KontraS, was riding a motorbike last week when he was approached by two men on a scooter, one of whom threw acid at him, according to the group.
“This is terrorism, isn’t it? A barbaric act. We must pursue (the perpetrators),” Prabowo said in an interview published Thursday on his personal YouTube channel.
The former general vowed to “uphold the law” regardless of who was behind the attack.
The military detained four soldiers from the armed forces’ intelligence unit on Wednesday, suspecting their involvement.
Andrie has repeatedly taken issue with the military’s influence in the government and had recorded a podcast on the topic shortly before he was attacked.
Lawmakers agreed on Wednesday to form a special committee to oversee the case. — AFP
