SUARA NEGERI | BATAM — In a high-stakes counterterrorism operation, joint special forces from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) successfully thwarted a hijacking attempt on the Casiopeia, a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tanker en route from the South China Sea to the Singapore Strait. Intelligence revealed that the terrorists intended to use the tanker as a floating bomb to be detonated in the waters between Indonesia and Singapore.
The success of this operation was made possible through seamless cooperation and intelligence sharing between the Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) Hub of the SAF and the Command and Control Center (Puskodal) of Koarmada I, which first detected the suspicious foreign vessel near the Indonesia-Singapore maritime border.
Through close coordination between the Information Fusion Center (IFC) in Singapore and the TNI Maritime Information Center (Pusinfomar), the threat was swiftly assessed, and both nations deployed warships to intercept and isolate the hijacked vessel. In a rapid and decisive operation, elite forces from both countries neutralized the terrorist threat, preventing a potential regional catastrophe.
This successful mission was part of the Griffin Cakti 2025 joint exercise—a bilateral special forces training program designed to enhance interoperability and readiness in maritime counterterrorism.
The operation was directly overseen in the waters off Batam by Commander of the TNI, General Agus Subiyanto, and Singapore’s Chief of Defence Force (CDF), Vice Admiral Aaron Beng, on Wednesday (4/6/2025).
"I commend the professionalism, spirit, discipline, and unity demonstrated throughout this exercise. The courage, strength, and elite capability displayed by both forces truly embody the spirit of collaboration and shared security values," said General Agus Subiyanto.
Opened on Monday (2/6), Latgabma Griffin Cakti 2025 stands as a testament to the strong bilateral commitment between the TNI and SAF to uphold regional security. It also marks a significant step toward enhancing the operational capacity and synergy of both nations' special operations forces in counterterrorism scenarios within border waters. (*)
