Indonesian counter-terrorism officials have arrested four Turkish nationals suspected of links to Islamic State.

Indonesian counter-terrorism officials have arrested four Turkish nationals suspected of links to Islamic State.(Haaretz).


Local news web site Tempo.co reported that the four were Turkish citizens, who were arrested Saturday in Poso, a district in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province, along with three Indonesians.

They were arrested after the counter terrorism squad and local police tailed their car on the way to a mountainous area in Poso, an Islamic militant stronghold.

"We are still investigating their background and their intentions of being in Poso and whether their arrivals were illegal," police spokesman Ronny Sompie said. (DPA)

They are reportedly being investigated for links to Islamic State militants in Iraq and had planned to join up with Santoso, a wanted Indonesian terrorist cell leader.

Santoso is understood to have been the field commander of Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT), an offshoot of Jemaah Islamiah, an Al Qaeda-linked cell which was behind the Bali bombings.

Indonesia's national police spokesman, Boy Rafli, says another wanted man called Mochtar, from the terrorist stronghold of Poso, had organised for the Turkish men to meet up with Santoso. More here.