by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - Security officials in Indonesia have thwarted an Islamic terrorist plan to suicide bomb two church sites in East Java, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
The foiled plan was to have been carried out by a 19-year-old member ISIS sympathizer and member of an Islamic extremist group and his parents, MSN reports. Known only by his initials H.O.K, the youth was arrested on July 31.
Anti-terrorist agents with Special Detachment 88 apprehended H.O.K as he made his way to way dispose of evidence in Jalan Langsep, Sisir village, Batu City, in Malang Regency, East Java, Spokesperson Aswin Siregar told reporters.
"H.O.K. is a supporter of ISIS or Dawlah Islamiyah," Aswin told reporters. H.O.K and his accomplices planned to carry out suicide bombings using Triaceton Triperoxide (TATP) explosives at two Christian churches in Malang Regency, East Java, Aswin said.
"He accessed various sites containing recommendations or propaganda from Dawlah Islamiyah," Aswin explained. "Then he also got information from social media, so that he felt like carrying out the suicide bombing."
Batu police arrested H.O.K.'s parents on July 31, and detained several other people for questioning in connection with the foiled attack, MSN reports.
Increasingly affected by extremist Islamism, Indonesia ranks 42 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.