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December 23, 2024 | 09:16 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The terrorist group Mujahidin Indonesia Timur (East Indonesia Mujahideen), or MIT, has been said to be wiped out following the death of its last fugitive Al Ikhwarisman a.k.a. Jaid in 2022. However, this claim has been questioned after the Special Detachment or Densus 88 Anti-terror Police recently managed to arrest three suspected terrorist suspects from the Sulawesi network.
"Densus 88 Anti-terror police is enforcing the law against 3 suspects from the terror group in Central Sulawesi," said Densus 88 Anti-terror Police Spokesperson Sr. Comr. Pol. Aswin Siregar in his statement, Friday, December 20, 2024.
The three terrorist suspects are RR, AS, and MW. RR and AS were arrested by Densus 88 Anti-terror Police in collaboration with the Brimob Corps Team from the Central Sulawesi Regional Police or Polda Sulteng in Ampana, Tojo Una-Una Regency on Thursday, December 19, 2024. Meanwhile, MW was arrested earlier in early September in Bima, NTB.
A series of cases of the East Indonesia Mujahideen
The East Indonesia Mujahideen group was founded in 2010 by Santoso in the Poso area, Central Sulawesi. According to Kombes Aswin in 2021, the formation of this terrorist group cannot be separated from other terrorist groups such as Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) and Jamaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT), to the conflict in Poso.
"And of course it cannot be separated from the most important figure of the terrorist organization movement in Indonesia, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir," said Aswin in his statement regarding the death of MIT leader, Ali Kalora, in a shootout in September 2021.
According to the former Head of the Banops Densus 88 Anti-terror Police, the birth of MIT was based on JAT which is a terrorist organization network founded by Abu Bakar Ba'asyir (ABB) in 2008. ABB himself was the founder of Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) with Abdullah Sungkar in Malaysia in 1993. Santoso is a member of JAT who was appointed as the leader of JAT in Poso.
"One of the members of JAT is Santoso alias Abu Wardah, who was later appointed as the leader of the JAT Command in Poso or better known as the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT)," he said.
Since Santoso was appointed as MIT Commander in 2012, various cases have occurred in the mountainous area of Poso Regency, Central Sulawesi, where the perpetrators are strongly suspected of being this terrorist group. They do not hesitate to attack and kill officers and civilians.
The following is a list of tragedies and victims by the MIT terrorist group as quoted from Koran Tempo:
- October 4, 2012
A civilian named Hasman Sao was shot by the MIT network in Masani Village, Poso Pesisir.
- October 9, 2012
Kawua Village, South Poso City was terrorized using a bomb suspected to have been carried out by the MIT group led by Santoso.
- October 16, 2012
The MIT group killed two police officers named Briptu Andi Sapa and Brigadir Sudirman.
- November 15, 2012
The official residence of the Poso Pesisir Utara Police Chief was shot by a number of unknown people suspected to be part of Santoso's group.
- June 3, 2014
A farmer in Poso named Muhammad Amir was shot by MIT in Poso.
- September 19, 2014
A farmer named M. Fadli was found dead with a wound on his neck in Taunca Village, South Poso Coast.
- December 29, 2014
The MIT group kidnapped 3 Tamadue residents. The three kidnapping victims were Harun Tobimbi, Garataudu, and Victor Polaba. One of them was murdered.
- January 17, 2015
The MIT group killed three residents in Tangkura Village, Poso Regency.
- August 3, 2017
A farmer was shot dead by MIT in the Pora Mountains area, Parigimpuu Village, West Parigi District, Parigi Moutong.
- December 30, 2018
A civilian with the initials RB was allegedly murdered by being beheaded by the MIT group. The victim was found in Sausu Salubanga Village, Sausu District, Parigi Moutong.
- November 27, 2020
Four civilians in Sigi Regency were killed by the MIT group.
- May 11, 2021
Four farmers were killed by a group in Lembah Napu, Kalimango Village, East Lore District, Poso Regency. The attack was said to be revenge for the killing of two members of the group, including Santoso's son, two months earlier.
Avit Hidayat contributed to the writing of this article.
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