Indonesian police shoot militant who fatally slashed officer

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesian police fatally shot a suspected Islamic militant who killed an officer at a police station with a samurai-style sword, officials said Monday.

National Police spokesman Ahmad Ramadhan said the suspect was shot as he tried to attack two other policemen after fatally slashing the first officer. The suspect died on the way to the hospital.

The attack occurred early Monday at the South Daha police station in South Kalimantan province, he said.

“One of the police officers died at the crime scene and the suspect was still trying to attack other officers. If the officer did not shoot, he would have killed more,” Ramadhan said. “We are still investigating if the suspect was related to or inspired by the Islamic State group.”

He said police seized the sword, an Islamic State-style flag and a small Qur’an.

South Kalimantan police spokesman Mohammad Rifai said the suspect burned a police car at the station before attacking the officers.

Indonesia has carried out a sustained crackdown on Islamic militants since bombings on the tourist island of Bali in 2002 killed 202 people, mostly foreigners.

Attacks on foreigners have been largely replaced in recent years by smaller, less deadly strikes targeting the government, police and anti-terrorism forces, inspired by Islamic State group attacks abroad.