Indonesia declares radical cleric Aman Abdurrahman a suspect in 2016 Jakarta attack

IS-linked cleric Aman Abdurrahman (hands raised) in a holding cell in Jakarta awaiting trial in 2010. PHOTO: REUTERS.

JAKARTA: Indonesian police have officially declared radical Islamic cleric Aman Abdurrahman a suspect and charging him with orchestrating the terrorist attack in Jakarta on Jan 14 last year, which left four bystanders dead.

The move, which The Straits Times confirmed with the Indonesian police on Tuesday, marks a major breakthrough in the case, which up until last week, had largely revolved around the convictions of a handful of low-level militants, who played minor support roles in the attack.