A suicide bomber who launched a failed attack on a church in Indonesia received direct orders from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), reports the Jakarta Globe.
Indonesia’s National Counterterrorism Agency (NCA) revealed Wednesday that the connection between a teen suicide bomber and ISIS went well beyond fascination.
Armed with a backpack bomb and a knife, 17-year-old Ivan Armadi Hasugian attempted to blow up St. Yoseph Catholic Church in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia Aug. 28. The bomb malfunctioned and triggered only a small-scale explosion, injuring only the assailant. Backpack in flames, he tried to finish the assault with a knife, but he was overpowered and neutralized by the members of the congregation.
Authorities found bomb-making materials at the suspect’s house. Witnesses at the scene of the attack reported seeing ISIS symbols and paraphernalia among the attacker’s belongings. Police also found a note inside the attacker’s bag which read, “I love al-Baghdadi.” The initial conclusion was that the boy was simply a fan of ISIS, but the reality of the situation is that his ties to ISIS ran much deeper.
“We have proof. He launched the attack on the St. Yoseph church on the order of Bahrun Naim, one of the Islamic State leaders in Southeast Asia,” NCA chief Commander General Suhardi Alius said Wednesday.
Bahrun Naim is allegedly the mastermind behind the January 14, 2016, attack on a commercial district in Jakarta. This attack was the first ISIS-orchestrated attack in the Southeast Asian region. He reportedly operates out of Syria and plans to rise as a leader in ISIS’ “distant caliphate.”
“Ivan was never in touch with Bahrun Naim,” said the suspect’s lawyer Rizal Sihombing. “It’s a fact. We can prove it,” replied Suhardi, according to the Jakarta Post.
ISIS has been steadily expanding its footprint in Southeast Asia since the start of this year. The affliction is more prominent in the Philippines, where the government is waging open war against Muslim militants; however, ISIS is also making its presence felt in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singaore.
Suhardi mentioned that the NCA believes that the suspect was radicalized online and through social media. He explained that isolated young people searching for a sense of belonging are often recruited by extremists online.
Reports suggest that the suspect detonated several practice bombs prior to the failed attack on the church. Investigations into Ivan Armadi Hasugian, the attack on St. Yoseph Catholic Church, and the connections to ISIS are still ongoing.
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