Indonesia arrests 52 suspected terrorists linked to cathedral bombing

JAKARTA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian police's Densus 88 counterterrorism squad have arrested 52 suspected terrorists linked to a suicide bombing in Makassar cathedral church in South Sulawesi, according to an official source on Thursday.

The spokesman of South Sulawesi Police, Senior Commissioner E Zulpan, said amongst the suspected terrorists, seven were women and 45 men.

"Most of the suspected terrorists were arrested in South Sulawesi, but we did arrest one in Poso, Central Sulawesi," said Zulpan.

From a suspected terrorist who was arrested in Poso, an area known as the base of the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) terror group, the police confiscated evidence such as cell phones, handmade weapons, and an air rifle gun.

Meanwhile, another suspect is a state-company employee with the initials N, 58, who was arrested in Maros, South Sulawesi.

All of the suspected terrorists were members of the Villa Mutiara recitation, linked to the Islamic State (IS) organization-affiliated Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) terrorist group, added Zulpan.

A suicide bomb exploded at the Makassar cathedral church, South Sulawesi, killing two of the perpetrators and injuring 20 others on March 28, when Christians in Indonesia were celebrating Palm Sunday, a Christian feast that falls on the Sunday ahead of Easter.