Terror Suspect 'Grew Secretive and More Religious'

Banda Aceh, TAG - Both parents of Yudhi Zulfahri, 27, one of four men arrested in relation to alleged links to regional terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah in Aceh on Monday, said their son had become increasingly secretive and more religious before he announced his decision to leave the family in September.





They added that police had not yet informed them of their son’s arrest. 



“Yudhi told us he wanted to study more about religion and learn the Arabic language at a boarding school in Bandung,” said Yudhi’s father, an Islamic religious leader who declined to give his name. 



“We did not ask him which boarding school. We just agreed,” he said, speaking to reporters at his home on the outskirts of Banda Aceh. 



The family said Yudhi was a “good boy” and they had supported his need to delve more into religious studies. His father said Yudhi, a civil servant working for the Acehnese administration, had changed beginning late last year and was secretive about his activities outside of their home. 



“I do not know what his activities were like outside. He just told us he wanted to study more about religion,” said Yudhi’s mother, who also declined to give her name. 



Yudhi’s family initially declined to speak to reporters. 



Police captured Yudhi and three other suspects with alleged links to Jemaah Islamiyah during operations in the Jalin Jantho region of Aceh Besar on Monday.

They were named as: Ismet Hakiki, aka Sailendra Adisapta, 40; Zakky Rahmatullah, 37; and Masykur Rahmat, 21. 

Ismet and Zakky are both believed to be from Banten. Yudhi and Masykur are from Aceh. 



Aceh Police on Monday evening sent dozens of intelligence officers to search the mountainous Jalin Jantho area. A senior police source confirmed that they are still searching for the instructor at the terrorist training camp, believed to be an Afghan national.[]