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Jakarta. Five of the 18 robbery suspects arrested in separate raids in Sumatra last week have been released for lack of evidence, while the rest have been charged with terrorism, robbery and illegal possession of firearms, a police spokesman said on Monday.

“After examining their role for seven days as mandated by the law, we determined they were not guilty,” National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Ketut Untung Yoga told a news conference. “We released five on Sunday.”

Kasman Hadiyono, Fero Rizky Adrian alias Ecik, Dicky Ilvan Alidin alias Kecik, Wahono alias Bawor and Hendri Susanto were among those arrested during raids on Sept. 19 in Medan and Lampung.

Thirteen others, however, are detained at the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) headquarters in Depok, have been charged under the Anti-Terrorism Law and Criminal Code articles on robbery and illegal possession of firearms.

The 13 include Marwan alias Wak Nong, who according to police was one of the 16 armed men who robbed a CIMB-Niaga branch in Medan on Aug. 18. “Now we’re still hunting the other fugitives, around 15 people,” he said.

Police shot dead three suspects during the raids. National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri last week said the men arrested were responsible for the spate of robberies in the region.

“This case is not just about the Aug. 18 robbery but a string of other robberies in North Sumatra,” he said. “It is a 33-strong team. We have arrested 15, and shot three dead.”

The police chief also said the group was also behind a midday heist of Bank Sumut in Medan on April 30, in which Rp 600 million ($66,600) was stolen, a June robbery at a BRI bank branch that resulted in Rp 60 million in losses, and another robbery at a money changer in Belawan that netted Rp 90 million.

Bambang had said the 15 suspects in custody told police that they were acting on the orders of a wanted terrorist. “All of them were instructed – the man who moved them to do all this is none other than Abu Tholut,” he said.

“He has been sentenced to eight years in prison, but was released after a remission. We also learned that before they conducted their activities, they would train [for it].”

An police antiterrorism source told the Jakarta Globe that the suspects had links with Maulana, who was killed in East Jakarta in May.

“We suspect that Maulana was in contact with Ahmad Gazali, the owner of a house which we raided in [North Sumatra]. Maulana transferred weapons and money to him,” the source said.

He added that Ahmad Gazali was a member of the hard-line Jamaah Anshorut Tauhid, a group founded and led by radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir until his arrest last month on terrorism charges.