Overcoming Terrorism Together

KOMPAS/VINA OKTAVIA

Police officers in front of the house of terrorism suspect Taufik Bulaga alias Upik Lawanga in Sri Bawono Village, Way Seputih District, Central Lampung Regency, Lampung, on Saturday (19/12/2020).

Five suspected terrorists in Aceh were recently arrested, proving that terrorist cells are still alive and active in Indonesia. Early detection by both the police and residents are thus very important.

Last week, the National Police’s counterterrorism squad arrested five suspected terrorists in Aceh Besar, Banda Aceh and Langsa regencies. They are suspected of being part of the Aceh Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD). The five of them were said to have been involved in the suicide bombing at the Medan city police in November 2019.

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Acts of terrorism are a manifestation of radicalism, which has recently spread through social media. A study by the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals Indonesia states that around 12.5 percent of the country’s population, or around 30 million people, are exposed to radicalism. Of the 30 million, it is predicted that 17,000 people, including their families, are involved in terrorism, despite not being perpetrators of terrorist acts.

The five JAD terrorists are suspected of being affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). ISIS-affiliated groups usually target law enforcement officials, namely the police. This phenomenon has been observed since 2010 when the target of terror shifted from foreigners and their symbols to the police and their symbols, including police stations.

Kompas

Screenshot of President Joko Widodo inaugurating General Listyo Sigit Prabowo as National Police Chief at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (27/1/2021).

This change was related to the call of terror convict Aman Abdurrahman, a JAD leader. Aman, who was jailed between 2005 and 2008 for terrorism, called for a change in target from foreigners to the police through lectures and books.

The police have certainly realized that it is far more effective to prevent the spread of radicalism than to deal with it in the “downstream” area or having to catch more terrorist suspects, as opposed to making a move only after the act of terror has occurred and has resulted in victims.

This is important to reduce the number exposed to radicalism.

It is also necessary to develop strategies that not only center around the police. The government – which can be coordinated by the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister – must immediately compile narratives of nationalism and love for the country to balance the narratives of sectarianism and radicalism, known to be the seeds of terrorism. This is important to reduce the number exposed to radicalism.

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The police cannot work alone. Discourse on community involvement has emerged as an effort for early detection of terrorism. Moreover, Comm. Gen. Listyo Sigit, who on Wednesday (27/1/2021) was inaugurated as the Chief of the National Police, intends to revive the civilian security guard (Pam Swakarsa) as part of the community involvement. However, it needs to be ensured that the Pam Swakarsa does not adopt its own vigilante actions, especially when we’ve had bitter experiences with Pam Swakarsa being used for political purposes, which instigated conflicts.

Reviving the environmental security system (siskamling) as a system based on community awareness is one rational solution. With siskamling, locals will be able to detect terrorist group activities early on.

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It isn’t like how it is now. For months, a terrorist has lived in one area and the residents seem to overlook it. Only after the person concerned has committed the act of terror and his house is surrounded by police tape would the residents realize.

(This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia).