Suspected Jakarta blasts mastermind to be charged in June

Convicted terrorist and Islamic State advocate Aman Abdurrahman will be charged in June for planning the Jan 14 terror attack in Jakarta.

Speaking to reporters at the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs' office on Monday (May 9), chief of National Counter-Terrorism Agency Tito Karnavian said Aman's involvement in the incident was clear.

"There is no difficulty (in establishing). There are already many witnesses that have been investigated," said General Tito.

Aman was earlier identified as the suspected mastermind in the Jakarta blasts, carried out by four members of a terror network. The four attackers, along with four other bystanders were killed in the incident.

Aman was previously convicted for his role in setting up a Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) training camp in Aceh in 2009. The 44-year-old cleric is currently serving eight years in a maximum security prison in Nusakambangan, Central Java.

General Tito added that Aman was supposed to be released from prison in 2018. "There is still time. There is no need to rush," General Tito said on impending charges for Aman.

If found guilty, Aman faces life imprisonment or the death penalty.