President Jokowi Appreciates Tinombala Task Force for Crushing Santoso Group

Jakarta, 15 Syawal 1437/20 July 2016 (MINA) – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has appreciated the Indonesian Defense Forces and the National Police for their success in decimating the terrorist group led by Santoso.

Santoso was a fugitive who led the Eastern Indonesian Mujahidin.

Presidential Special Staff Johan Budi, in a short message to ANTARA on Tuesday, hailed the joint military-police task force. He said President Jokowi has expressed his appreciation for the successful operation undertaken by the task force.

“However, the President asked that the remaining members of the group should also be hunted down,” remarked Johan, adding that the head of state urged the people to remain vigilant against the threat of terrorism.

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Johan Budi cautioned that vigilance should not weaken but should rather be increased to keep the state and nation safe from the threat of terrorism.

The militant group has involved in scores of terrorist strikes in Indonesia, including the suicide bombings in the country’s capital of Jakarta on Jan. 24 that killed 8 people and injured nearly 30 others.

Indonesian counter terror forces have been actively hunting the most-wanted terrorist since 2013, and have done so with greater urgency following the terror attack in Jakarta in January, as they feared he planned to turn the region into a militant hub.

He was the first Indonesian militant leader to publicly pledge allegiance to IS in 2014, and was active in sectarian violence in Poso between 1998 and 2001.
Santoso is believed to have been training Uighur fighters from China in Poso and had links to other militant groups in the Philippines. (T/R07/R01)

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Mi’raj Islmic News Agency (MINA)