Indonesia to ban citizens suspected of joining ISIS from returning home: Police Chief

Indonesian anti-terrorist policemen stand guard at a main street in Jakarta, Indonesia, Jan 16, 2016. PHOTO: EPA

Jakarta - Indonesians returning home from the Middle East after suspected of joining the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group will be denied entry by immigration officers, said Indonesian police chief Badrodin Haiti on Saturday.

The police have shared a list of suspects with the country's immigration authorities to facilitate the latest move which is part of Indonesia's efforts to prevent a repeat of Thursday's brazen attack in downtown Jakarta that left seven dead, including the five perpertrators, and more than 20 injured.

One of the victims of the attack is now in a vegetative state, said General Badrodin, adding that the Indonesian man, who is a security guard at Bangkok Bank, located not far from ground zero of the siege, had suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

Police also said two victims are scheduled to be flown to Singapore for treatment. They are an Austrian, 44-year-old Marek, and Dutchman Yohanes Antonius Maria, 52.

"The dutch victim Yohanes will soon be transfered to Singapore. He has relatives living in Singapore," Musyafak told the media briefing.

Overnight raids by the police's counter-terrorism unit Detachment 88 (Densus 88), saw a total of 12 suspects arrested in connection to the attack.

This includes the three who were picked by on Friday morning. All 12 are all believed to be loyal to ISIS.

General Badrodin said among the items seized during the raid are nine revolvers, six ammo magazines, five cellphones and a motorbike. He also confirmed that the unexploded bombs left behind by the five militants on Thursday before they were killed were graded as "low explosives".

He said the firearms used in the attack were made in the Philippines but could not establish how the attackers acquired them. "Firearms are available freely in the Philippines, they have local industries making them and anyone can buy."

The five militants killed either by police officers responding to the attack on Thursday are Indonesians Sugito, 42; Dian Joni Kurniadi, 25; Ahmad Muhazin, 25; Muhammad Ali, 3; and Sunakim alias Afif.

The police have not determined Afif's age, but confirmed that he and Muhammad Ali had both been convicted of taking part in terror-related activities in the past.

"The identification was based on a scientific (DNA) process and thorough investigation by Densus 88," added General Badrodin.

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