Death Row Inmate Accused Of Plotting Terrorist Attacks On Jakarta

Even death row can't stop people from plotting terrorist attacks on Indonesia's capital. Iwan Darmawan, who is awaiting execution for a seperate terrorist attack in 2004, is suspected of planning a series of attacks on multiple locations across Jakarta

A member of Densus 88's, Indonesia's counter-terrorism force, said that they thwarted a terrorist attack after intercepting a message that Iwan Darmawan, popularly known as Rois, sent to members of the Aman Abdurrahman led Islamist group, Jamaah Ansharud Daulah (JAD) in March. Eight members of the group were arrested on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack, their leader, Aman Abdurrahman, is currently serving an eight year prison term for founding a paramilitary training camp in Aceh, North Sumatra.

One of the alleged terrorists detained, whose initials are S.M., said he received an order from Rois to buy 18 M16 assault rifles in the southern Philippines province of Sulu.

"S.M. bought 18 rifles for $300,000. The police are still investigating where the money came from. The assault rifles have not hit the Indonesian black market, they're only available in Pulau Basilian, the Philippines," says the source.

Police spokesperson Martinus Sitompul said that Rois and SM's terrorist network have a strong connection with islamic militants in Sulu, the Philippines.

"S.M. attended a terrorist training camp in the southern Philippines. What we know so far is one of the weapons used during Thamrin bomb attack came from S.M.'s purchase," Martinus told Detik. The 2016 Jakarta attacks, known locally as the Thamrin bomb attacks, left eight people dead including the attackers.

Rois is currently sitting in Batu—which translates to "rock"—maximum-security prison on the island of Nusa Kambangan off the coast of Java. He is awaiting execution for masterminding a 2004 car bomb attack outside the Australian Embassy in South Jakarta that left nine people dead.

Before being transferred to Nusa Kambangan in 2010, Rois served time Lapas Cipinang, east Jakarta. Where he was secluded to a special cell for convicted terrorists, a cell once home to Amrozi and Imam Samudra, the terrorists behind the Bali bombings of 2002.

How a convicted terrorist was allowed to communicate with outside terrorist networks is the question currently being asked of those who supervise and secure Indonesia's prisons. In 2014, alleged terrorist and leader of terrorist cell Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT) publicly pledged allegiance to ISIS in Nusa Kambangan prison. In the photos distributed to various media outlets, Baasyir and his supporters in prison are seen holding up an ISIS flag.

A study by the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) showed that Indonesian prisons are festering grounds for Islamic radicalization, due to corruption, lack of supervision, and inadequate training for prison guards.

Currently, there are over 200,000 inmates in 477 correctional institutions throughout Indonesia. But with only 16,500 guards, the average ratio of guards to prisoners around the country is 1 guard for every 55 prisoners.

This level of overcrowding has left blind spots that allow radical ideologies to thrive in prisons. "The deradicalization program can not be effective as long as those problems aren't overcome," said IPAC director Sidney Jones.