Indonesian police reported having seven people arrested you suspect of preparing a attack against Pope Francis, on the occasion of his visit to the world’s most populous Muslim country. The Densus-88 counter-terrorism unit said that the arrests were carried out between Monday and Tuesday in the cities of Bogor, 50 km from Jakarta, and Bekasi, east of the capital’s metropolitan area.
During the search of the house of one of the suspects, material was found which showed that they were preparing an attack against the Pope who from Jakarta launched a message of religious unity to counter extremism and intolerance. A bow and arrows, a drone and propaganda material from the Islamic State.
Densus-88 spokesman Aswin Siregar said the investigation was ongoing and it was not clear whether the seven knew each other or were part of a single terrorist cell.