Indonesian counterterrorism police have foiled a series of planned suicide bombings in some cities ahead of next Sunday's swearing-in of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who was re-elected for his second term in the April 17 presidential election.
National Police Spokesman Dedi Prasetyo told a press conference Tuesday that at least four suicide bombers had been prepared for the attacks using "high-explosive bombs made of various substances," including a potent toxin called abrin.
Abrin, found in the seeds of rosary pea, has been classified as biological select agent by the US government that could pose a severe threat to public health and safety.
"These bombs are different from those usually assembled by terrorist groups. These ones are more dangerous with less than 0.7 microgrammes of abrin being able to kill 100 people," Dedi said.
Since last month, counterterrorism police Detachment 88 has arrested 27 terrorist suspects, including a couple who stabbed Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto and a local police chief last week, across the country, from Sumatra to Bali.
"They are targeting police personnel and government officials," the police spokesman said.
All of the suspects are members of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah, or JAD, a Muslim militant network linked to Islamic State.
JAD was banned by the government in 2018, a year after the US State Department declared it a terrorist organisation.