The attack on the Medan Police's headquarters occurred on 13 November 2019, at around 8:40 AM,[1][2] shortly after the conclusion of a routine morning roll call by the police officers. The explosion occurred within the grounds of the headquarters but outside the building itself.[3] According to reports, the attacker had blended in with a group queueing to obtain certificates of good conduct before detonating the bomb in the parking lot.[1][4] Other eyewitness accounts reported the attacker wearing a jacket and backpack, and that he had attempted to rush through police examination at the building's entrance.[2]
The attacker was initially believed to be a lone wolf, and the explosion injured four police officers and two civilians aside from killing the attacker.[5] In the aftermath of the explosion, police recovered the attacker's body parts, nails, and parts of the explosive device.[6]
Perpetrator
Though his body was blown up, the perpetrator was identified from fingerprints as a 24-year old resident of the city, Rabbial Muslim Nasution, who had recently been an online motorcycle driver. Initial investigations explored Nasution's connections with the Islamic State-affiliated Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), and several of his family members were questioned by police.[1] His body was buried in the city, despite objections.[7] According to his parents-in-law, Nasution had shown a significant change in behavior in the six months leading up to the suicide attack, which police officials linked to indoctrination by a cleric,[8] who was being sought after by the national police.[9]
Police later reported that Nasution's wife had planned another terror attack in Bali, and she was arrested.[10] Following further investigations, the Indonesian Police (Polri) stated that the JAD was behind the attack.[7]
Reactions
Following the attack, Polri launched several raids in parts of the country, and a week after the attack reported that 74 terror suspects had been apprehended - more than half of which were arrested outside North Sumatra.[11] The Densus 88 shot dead two alleged bomb assemblers following an ambush in Deli Serdang Regency.[12] Some of the suspects were known to have been attending training camps in Karo Regency, and weapons including improvised firearms, airsoft guns, traditional blades, and bows were confiscated.[13]
