Indonesia steps up security in Bali after arrest of suspected militant

Indonesia – (warsoor) – Indonesian authorities have tightened security in Bali, a police official said late on Monday, after reports at the weekend of a suspected militant plot to attack the holiday island.

“In connection with information about a terror arrest and a planned action in Bali, we are increasing security at all points of entry into Bali,” said provincial police chief Sugeng Priyanto.

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“The focus of our attention is also the small ports that are spread around Bali,” he said, adding that informal points of entry are also being monitored.

Anti-terror police said at the weekend they were investigating whether a suspected militant arrested in Sumatra last week was plotting an attack in Bali.

Police found a bomb and “high (impact) explosive materials” during a raid on the suspect’s house.

“The suspect told us in a statement that they were planning an attack in Bali but there are no details or timeline,” said national police spokesman Agus Rianto by phone.

A nightclub bombing on the resort island in 2002 carried out by homegrown militants killed 202 people, mostly Australians, and prompted a nationwide security crackdown.

Indonesia has seen a recent resurgence in radicalism, inspired in part by the extremist group Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East.

An IS-linked gun and bomb attack in the capital Jakarta in January killed four people and counter-terrorism forces have since arrested dozens of suspected militants.

Source: Reuters

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