Indian Man Suspected in Bomb Threat Targeting Saudia Airlines Pilgrims' Flight

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) has identified the individual suspected of sending a bomb threat to a Saudia Airlines flight carrying Indonesian pilgrims.

Tjandra Sulistiyono, Head of BNPT’s Legal Affairs, Public Relations, and Information Technology Division, stated that the alleged sender, known by the initials APM, is an administrative officer from India.

"APM was once held hostage for 12 days by Maoist rebels or the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army in the Chhattisgarh State in 2012," said Tjandra via WhatsApp on Friday, June 20, 2025.

Tjandra added that BNPT is continuing to verify and revalidate APM’s identity to understand the motive behind the threat. "There is a high possibility of such a motive because there are several of their groups that were detained by the Indian Government," he said.

Earlier, the Indonesian National Police’s anti-terrorism squad, Densus 88, launched an investigation into the threat, which had been emailed to Saudia Airlines flight SV-5276.

The flight was carrying Indonesian hajj pilgrims. According to Densus 88 spokesperson AKBP Mayndra Eka Wardhana, investigators have not found any suspicious objects on the aircraft so far.

"The investigation and coordination efforts are ongoing," Mayndra told Tempo on Thursday, June 19, 2025.

Densus 88 is exploring the motive behind the threat and attempting to trace its origin. Mayndra said they are looking into whether the threat came from within Indonesia or from abroad. "From the email, we will see if there is a potential domestic threat, or if there is a threat from abroad," he explained.

Authorities suspect that the threat sender is a foreign national. As a result, Densus 88 is coordinating with Saudi Arabian authorities to support the investigation.

"The Saudi authorities are also continuing their investigation into the threat, as it involves Saudi-owned property. However, the intended target was Indonesia, specifically Jakarta," said Mayndra.

The threatening email was received on Tuesday morning, June 17, 2025, around 07:30 AM local time. It was directed at Saudia Airlines flight SV-5276, which was transporting Indonesian pilgrims from Jeddah to Jakarta.

Initial examinations by Densus 88 found no physical evidence of bombs or any other suspicious items on board.

"For now, there is no physical evidence found regarding the threat," Mayndra said.

Separately, the North Sumatra Regional Police disclosed the possible motive behind the threat. The Saudia Airlines aircraft made an emergency landing at Kualanamu International Airport on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at 10:50 AM local time, following the receipt of the threat.

North Sumatra Police Chief Inspector General Whisnu Hermawan Februanto said the content of the threat email carried ideological elements and exhibited signs of terrorist intent.

He explained that the message referenced plans to use pipe bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as part of a protest tied to foreign political issues.

"The message mentioned individuals Ajmal Kasab and Savukku Shankar, as well as groups suspected of transnational affiliations," Whisnu said during a press conference at Kualanamu Airport on Tuesday evening, as cited from his written statement.

Whisnu added that the threat also targeted Soekarno-Hatta Airport as the planned detonation point, involving the use of RFID technology and Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFPs). The full message is still under analysis by the authorities.

The 442 pilgrims on board, consisting of 207 men and 235 women, were safely evacuated by the North Sumatra Regional Police. No explosive devices or suspicious items were found on the aircraft. The passengers have since been transported back to Jakarta, though the investigation remains ongoing.

Intan Setiawanty and Oyuk Ivani Siagian contributed to the writing of this article.

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