JAKARTA: Indonesia arrested seven people for making “terror threats” online against Pope Francis during his visit to the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country this week, police said on Friday ( Sep 6 ).
The 87-year-old pope made Southeast Asia’s largest economy the initial stop on a demanding Asia-Pacific journey by delivering a message of spiritual unity to combat hatred and extremism.
The suspects were arrested in places around the investment Jakarta, and the regions of West Sumatra and Bangka Belitung, Indonesia’s wealthy counter-terrorism system Densus 88 official Aswin Siregar told reporters.
They are accused of threatening to bomb Jakarta’s public gatherings with pictures and comments posted online.
” Densus 88 has taken legal action against seven people… who made challenges in the form of advertising or evil risks via social media in response to the priest’s arrival”, Aswin told reporters.
” There was also a threat to set fire to the locations”, he added.
His schedule included visits to Southeast Asia’s biggest mosque, Jakarta’s cathedral, the presidential palace and the national football stadium.
Authorities did not give the suspects ‘ beliefs public, but Indonesia has long struggled with Islamist militancy.
Bombings on the resort island of Bali in 2002 killed 202 people and were the deadliest attacks in the country’s history.
The pope’s visit has been secured more, with roads being rerouted or closed around important locations where he is scheduled to visit being increased.
A security detail of around 4, 000 personnel, including snipers, soldiers, police and his security team, protected him before he departed for the rest of his trip in Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.