An Indonesian Army special forces soldier stands on P6 ATAV light attack vehicle before deployment ahead of the upcoming Indonesia's general election in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 14, 2019. (Source: Reuters)Hanoi (VNA) – Indonesia’s counter-terrorism squad has rounded up at least 10people suspected of planning attacks during the upcoming announcement of theresults of the April’s presidential election, local police said onMay 15.
The arrests came as tension runs high and security is tightened in the countryahead of the May 22 announcement by the General Election Commission (KPU).
According to Indonesia’s national police spokesman DediPrasetyo, the suspects belonged to Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), the largestIslamic State-linked group in the country, with local authorities still on thehunt for more members.
The suspects claimed that they planned to attack mass gatherings on May 21, 22,or 23 to create chaos and target as many victims as possible, including police,he said.
To safeguard the event, nearly 32,000 police and military personnel are onstandby in the capital Jakarta, including troops drafted in from otherprovinces, Prasetyo said.
Last week, authorities shot dead one militant and detained six others forplotting to attack police during the planned demonstrations, he added.
Indonesia conducted general elections on April 17 to elect the next presidentand vice president.
Therace to become the Indonesian president for the 2019-2024 term was a rematchbetween two familiar candidates who were rivals in the 2014 election, namelyincumbent President Joko Widodo and former Army Gen. Prabowo Subianto, a memberof the Great Indonesian Movement Party.
Accordingto the latest results, with more than 80 percent of the votes counted, incumbent Indonesian President Joko Widodo is temporarilyleading the race with 56 percent of the votes. –VNA
VNA
