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Semarang. With the nation on high alert against any suspicion of terrorist activities, police in Central Java moved to detain nine Filipinos over the weekend, a police officer said on Monday.

The nine foreigners, all wearing long robes and turbans and sporting long beards, were picked up by Pruwokerto Police at a local mosque on Friday evening, Central Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo said.

Speaking at the sidelines of a an Independence Day ceremony at Simpang Lima subdistrict here, Alex said that the police acted on tip-offs from citizens who were suspicious of the group’s presence.

“People reported them to the police because they were concerned that they could be members of a terrorist network,” Central Java Police spokesman Suwarno said.

Police found out, however, that no one among the group of Filipinos spoke either Indonesian or English and later ruled that they were not linked to terrorism, Suwarno added.

“They only have a short visit visa and are currently in Indonesia for missionary purposes. Their activities are not related to terrorism,” Alex said.

A local Muslim cleric, Muhammad Ali, who manages the Ta’mirul Islamic Boarding School in Laweyan subdistrict, Solo, said the Filipinos could belong to the Jaulah group that usually goes door-to-door and mosque-to-mosque to spread Islam.

Maj. Gen. Haryadi Soetanto, the Central Java military commander, urged the public to be more sensitive and directly report suspicious activities.

“People should be more careful and sensitive to the matter,” he said. “That’s why we urge the people to report any suspected terrorists to the police.”

Haryadi added that the public was still too tolerant and too passive of the presence of strangers, who could already turn out to be terrorists.

Commenting on the Filipinos’ case, Haryadi supported their deportation. “Without a clear purpose, it is better to deport them,” he said, adding that foreigners were welcome in Indonesia, but would be dealt with if they violated the country’s laws.