Police detain five ISIS recruiters in Indonesia

Asia-Pacific, News March 23, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

Police in Indonesia have detained five men who allegedly attempted to recruit people, including women and children, to join ISIS militants operating in Syria.

On Monday, an Indonesian national police spokesman said the five men were arrested in Jakarta for arranging for a group of 11 children, four women, and one man to enter Syria.

The group of 16 was detained in the Turkish border of town of Gaziantep.

Rikwanto said the five “coaching, guidance, and recruitment of sympathizers of IS to depart to Iraq and Syria… and the collection and distribution of funds for the activities of IS volunteers in Indonesia.”

Four of the men were detained for helping arrange documents for the group to enter Turkey. They were also arrested for helping 21 other Indonesians join ISIS militants.

The fifth detainee was taken for encouraging people to join the terrorist group operating in Syria and neighboring Iraq on his website and for uploading videos showing children being trained by militants.

Turkey has been accused of failing to control its 901-kilometer (560-mile) border with Syria and allowing terrorists easy passage into Syria. Ankara has, in turn, complained that European police forces have been slow to share information on extremists traveling through the country.

ISIS, with members from several Western countries, controls parts of Syria and Iraq, and has been carrying out horrific acts of violence such as public decapitations and crucifixions against all communities such as Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians.

SZH/NN/HRB