As the number of terror attacks all around the world are increasing year by year, the Indonesian Government has decided to strengthen its anti-terror police unit to combat the rising terror threats. Previously, there were just 700 policemen in the anti-terror wing (Elite Detachment 88), and the Government has decided to increase this count to 1300, in the midst of increased threats from local and international terror networks.
A move to strengthen the elite force
Tito Karnavian, the National Police Chief General, during a media briefing said that the threats are now not only from Al-Qaeda but from ISIS too. The Police Chief General also talked about people who learned about making bombs after watching videos from the internet. As per Tito, these people are being brainwashed and self-radicalized by various factors, and they are now a threat to the peaceful society.
During the press conference, Tito Karnavian also talked about the vitality of beefing up Detachment 88. According to the National Police Chief General, more silent operations and preemptive strikes should be stepped up to hinder the growth of terrorism in the land of Indonesia. This can only be achieved through higher detection capability. Tito also hinted about the plans of sending 100 of the 300 fresh graduates from the Police Academy to overseas training.
Detachment 88 is one of the key players in Indonesia that fight against terrorism. In 2017 alone, the team has arrested 154 terrorists and killed 16 during their operations. Four officers in the Detachment 88 team too lost their lives in the fight against terrorism. In 2016, the team made more than 150 arrests and also disrupted several terror plots.
Tito Karnavian also talked about the vitality of adopting Singapore culture to strengthen their police department. According to Tito, when Singapore sent young police officers to the United States, Britain and other countries with a less corrupt culture, they were shaped accordingly. He hoped that Indonesian Police officers who will be sent overseas will be also get molded in such a way that they will stay away from the clutches of corruption.
