Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Police Chief General Tito Karnavian said police have handled 170 cases of terrorism in the country so far this year.
The number of cases rose sharply from 82 cases in 2015 following political dynamism in Syria and Iraq, under the attacks of Iraq-Syria Islamic States (ISIS), the general said.
The rise of ISIS had inspired Islamic radicalism and terrorism in Indonesia, he said here on Wednesday.
He said in 2015, ISIS was still in the position of measuring strategies by expanding control of areas in a number of countries.
"But in 2016, they were driven and cornered by the West that forced them to decide to control their movements outside Iraq and Syria," Tito said.
He said the Indonesian police are forced to intensify the hunt for terrorist cells in the country controlled by Bahrum Naim, who is believed still in Syria or Iraq.
Head of the public relation division of the police headquarters Ins. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said the Indonesian police cooperate with international cooperation networks and the foreign ministry to see how Bahrum Naim maintains communications with terrorist cells in Indonesia.
Boy said Indonesia hopes with the help of the Syrian or Iraqi authorities Bahrum Naim could be arrested.
"But we are aware of the security condition in the two countries ravaged by conflicts between the government and rebels mainly ISIS," he said.
Earlier this months three Indonesians were arrested in Syria on charge of joining ISIS against the government.
Later the three were deported via Turkey's Istanbul airport.
Police anti terror squad Densus 88 right away arrested the three upon arrival at Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta airport on Saturday last week.
The three were driven to the police mobile brigade headquarters, Kelapa Dua, Depok, for investigations. (WDY)
