Indonesia Nabs 11 Who 'Targeted' US Embassy

New group was 'well prepared for terror attacks': police
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Oct 27, 2012 4:05 PM CDT
Indonesia Nabs 11 Who 'Targeted' US Embassy
An Indonesian police officer stands guard at the door of the house of a suspected terrorist after a raid in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012.    (Jefta)

Indonesia's anti-terror squad arrested 11 people suspected of planning a range of attacks on domestic and foreign targets including the US Embassy and a site near the Australian Embassy, police said today. The suspects were arrested in raids yesterday and today in four provinces, national police spokesman Maj. Gen. Suhardi Alius said. He said the suspects belonged to a new group called the Harakah Sunni for Indonesian Society, or HASMI.

"From evidence found at the scene, we believe that this group was well prepared for serious terror attacks," Alius said. Police seized a number of bombs, explosive materials, a bomb-making manual, and ammunition. They also found a 6.6-pound gas cylinder filled with highly explosive material, which had been assembled at a house in the East Java town of Madiun. Videos and images of attacks on Muslims in various parts of the world were also recovered, but police are still investigating whether the group has ties with established terrorist organizations such as Jemaah Islamiyah. (More Indonesia stories.)

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