Indonesian Suicide Bombers’ Daughter Compelled to Join IS
01/20/2021 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – The daughter of an Indonesian couple, who both died in their suicide attack against a Catholic church in southern Philippines, told an Indonesian official that she was compelled by her parents to join the Islamic State group.
According to Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, the region’s top military commander, on January 13, the young woman, who was arrested in the southern Philippines on suspicion of preparing for a suicide bombing mission, met with Indonesian Consul-General Dicky Fabrian.
Benar News reports that Fabrian wanted to meet with Rullie to make sure that “she is really an Indonesian” by seeing her in person. The meeting took place at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group detention facility in southern Zamboanga city, where she is being held.
Indonesian Terrorist Suspects Linked to Church Bombing Killed by the Police
01/08/2021 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – On January 6, two suspected Islamic militants with alleged links to Indonesian suicide bombers who attacked a southern Philippines church in 2019, were killed by police in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi province, according to officials.
The two suspects, who were part of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), an Islamic State (IS)-linked Indonesian militant group, violently resisted the arrest and were killed during an exchange of fire.
“Two people identified as MRS, 46, and SA, 23, died because at the time of their arrest, both of them fought back using a machete and an air rifle,” police spokesman Ahmad Ramadhan said in a statement. A police report seen by Benar News named the dead suspects as Mohammad Rizaldy S and Sanjai Azis. Azis is reportedly Rizaldy S’ son-in-law.
Slain Papuan Pastor’s Two Nephews Allegedly Killed by the Military
12/29/2020 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – Last week, military investigators in Indonesia revealed that Indonesian soldiers in Papua province killed two brothers accused of being separatist rebels in their custody, burned their bodies and dumped their ashes into a river to cover their tracks last April.
According to Radio Free Asia, on December 23, the commander of the Military Police Corps, Lt. Gen. Dodik Widjanarko stated that the investigators have identified nine army personnel as suspects in the deaths of Luther Zanambani (23) and Apinus Zanambani (22), and are probing the possible involvement of three other soldiers.
Indonesian Government Compensates Victims of Terrorist Attacks
12/22/2020 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – On December 16, the Indonesian government provided compensation to 215 victims who were impacted by past terrorist acts in the country since 2002.
17 victims received the compensation symbolically from the hands of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the presidential palace. They are among the 215 victims of 40 terrorist attacks that took place from 2002-2017, who will receive around 39.2 billion rupiah (US$2.8 million) in total from Jakarta.
President Jokowi said that providing compensation is one of the country’s responsibilities to victims who have been waiting for compensation for years. It is in accordance with the government regulation on compensation, restitution and support for victims and witnesses, after Jokowi signed the legislation in 2018.
Indonesian Churches Urge Jakarta to Stop Violence in Papua
12/20/2020 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – While Papua has been integrated into the Republic of Indonesia for nearly six decades, the restive yet resource-rich Christian majority region has long suffered from discrimination and a struggle over land and natural resource.
In recent months, tensions haven run high between Indonesia’s security forces and local Papuans, resulting in casualties that include the killing of a Christian pastor and a Catechist, which caused many to condemn the extrajudicial killings.
The ongoing violence pushed the Association of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) and the United Evangelical Mission entitled Stop Violence in Papua to hold a seminar on Thursday, December 17, 2020.