Indonesian authorities have apprehended a 51-year-old man believed to be intricately linked to various terrorist networks, including affiliations with Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).
Yudi Lukito Kurniawan was arrested in Gorontalo, located in northern Sulawesi island, amidst ongoing investigations into his past and present connections to terrorism.
According to a statement from Detachment 88, Indonesia’s national police counter-terrorism unit, Yudi, who was involved in a foiled plot in 2015 aimed at attacking the Singapore stock exchange, attempted to enter Singapore by sea but was deported back to Batam after immigration officials denied him entry due to security concerns.
“YLK is an Indonesian who joined the terror group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula who planned to commit a terror attack against the Singaporean Stock Exchange in 2014,” Detachment 88 spokesman Senior Commissioner Aswin Siregar said on Sep 2 according to Tempo.co.
When he was arrested, the police found a passport under the name of Yudi Lukito Kurniawan and a piece of Singapore immigration’s inspection document.
The Straits Times reported that sources close to the investigation revealed that authorities are examining whether Yudi plays a pivotal role within terror networks operating in the region.
“We are developing the case to see whether he is a key and crucial element in terror networks,” the source stated on September 3.
Yudi’s plan in 2015 to target the SGX Centre in Singapore was framed as an indirect strike against the United States, a country considered by militants to be their principal enemy.
Singapore, being a close ally of the US, was identified as a strategic target due to its proximity to Indonesia.
Yudi’s complicated background includes a history with various terrorist organizations. He was previously affiliated with the notorious Jemaah Islamiyah, responsible for the devastating 2002 Bali bombing, before transferring his allegiance in 2012 to Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid, a group led by the famous terrorist ideologue Abu Bakar Bashir. Yudi later joined Jamaah Ansharusy Syariah, another splinter faction of JI.
His international connections are further substantiated by evidence collected during the investigation, including a passport with a Yemen visa stamp and a document acknowledging Singapore’s 2015 entry denial.
Following his arrest, police sources issued a stern warning to other JI members who refuse to dismantle their operations. “The (latest) arrest is a warning to other JI members who choose not to disband themselves but instead join other terrorist groups. We will get them,” a source articulated.
During the arrest in Gorontalo, Densus 88 discovered various pieces of evidence indicating YLK’s involvement in terrorist activities. Among the findings were a preaching bulletin from Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia, a passport belonging to Yudi Lukito Kurniawan, and a document from Singapore immigration inspection, the report added.
In response to questions from CNA, ISD confirmed that it is aware of the arrest of an individual identified in some media outlets as YLK.
“ISD first received information on the attack plot against the SGX in 2016 and subsequently on YLK’s alleged involvement in the plot, and has been coordinating closely with the Indonesian authorities in the investigations,” ISD said in its statement.
YLK, a known member of the terror group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) since the early 2000s, has a history of terrorism-related activities, including militant training in Mindanao and a 2003 arrest for illegal firearms possession in Indonesia. The Internal Security Department (ISD) of Singapore placed him on an entry watchlist due to his JI affiliations. In February 2015, YLK attempted to enter Singapore but was denied entry and deported to Batam. ISD has not ruled out that his visit may have been for reconnaissance related to a potential attack on the Singapore Exchange (SGX). \
Investigations are ongoing, and ISD is working with Indonesian authorities following YLK’s recent arrest. The ISD said that while there is currently no imminent threat, the overall risk of terrorism in Singapore remains high, urging the public to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities.
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