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OPINION JULY 21, 2023 | The Indian Eye 10

Counterterrorism and

Deradicalization: The success

of the Indonesian Way?

While there are areas of strength in Indonesia’s deradicalization policy, the current policy fails to

cater to the changing nature and modes of radicalization processes and terrorist recruitments

LAKSHMI PRIYA VIJAYAN population and history of insurgent
movements, Indonesia has instituted
he 2002 Bali bombings, per- a deradicalization policy. The deradi-
petrated by Jemaah Islamiyah calization programmes conducted by
T(JI), a terrorist organization Indonesia’s National Counterterror-
that has close links with Al-Qaeda, ism Agency were introduced in the
marked a shift in the Indonesian ap- year 2008 as part of the implementa-
proach towards terrorism, leading to tion of a soft approach to deal with
the formulation of various counter- terrorism known as the ‘Deradical-
terrorism policies including anti-ter- ization Blueprint’.
rorism laws, the creation of a special The initial phase of the deradi-
unit called Densus 88, a powerful Na- calization programme primarily fo-
tional Intelligence Agency and derad- cused on JI members who were in-
icalization programmes. volved in the attacks and the process
was carried out by former terrorists
The role of the Australian Feder- and militants, with the capability to
influence the minds of these terror-
al Police was crucial in helping ists. The main target actors of the

Indonesia develop its counter- deradicalization programme are the
former members of a terror group,
terrorism policies and structures and their close connections. These
post the Bali bombings. The Aus- actors are divided into core groups,
militants, supporters and sympathiz-
tralian Police was involved in the ers, depending on their involvement

security operations after the Bali The role of the Australian Federal Police was crucial in helping Indonesia develop its counter- and correlations in these activities.
The
pro-
deradicalization
bombings as well as in training terrorism policies and structures post the Bali bombings (File photo) grammes were run for ex-convicts
Special Detachment 88, which and their families who are deemed to
have the highest possibility to resort
has since become the primary possibility of limiting public dissent on suicide bombings. The force was to violent extremism if not surveilled
agency of Indonesian counter- and political freedom. The amend- trained jointly by the United States, and deradicalized as well as for pris-
ment followed the 2016 Surabaya
oners to reduce the chances of recid-
Australia, and the United Kingdom,
terrorism efforts. attack and rising demand for strong which also provided weapons and ivism once they are out of the prison.
anti-terrorism laws. To tackle ter- financial assistance to establish the Deradicalization amongst prison-
A counterterrorism policy ac- ror financing, Law No. 09/2013 was unit. Other State agencies include ers is carried out in multiple stages:
tion, the Government Regulation passed. Along with anti-terrorism Badan Intellijen Negara Republik In- phase identification, rehabilitation,
in Lieu of Law (Perpu) No. 01/2002 laws, national agencies were formed donesia (BIN) (the State intelligence re-education and re-socialization.
was passed in 2002 as an interim law to counter terrorism, including a spe- agency) and the Badan Nasional Along with two approaches to derad-
by the then President Megawati Su- cial wing of the Indonesian National Penanggulangan Terorisme (BNPT) icalization, there are different stages
karnoputri and formalized in 2003 Police called Detachment 88 (Den- (National Counterterrorism Agency), pertaining to the pre-prison stage,
as Law No.15/2003. It defined the sus 88) founded in 2003, and Nation- previously known as Desk Koordinasi prison stage and after-prison stage.
act and intention of terrorism and al Counterterrorism Agency in 2010. Pemberantasan Terorisme (DKPT). These approaches are mainly im-
prescribed punishments on funding, Indonesia’s National Police plemented by prison services.6 The
weapons, and for supporting acts of (POLRI), formed in 1946, is the pri- Deradicalization Policy communication coordinators in the
terrorism. This law was subsequently mary agency that deals with internal While the hard security ap- policy are religious figures, acade-
amended in 2013 and 2018. security. Even though the POLRI has proach and legal policy measures micians, civil society organizations,
The 2018 amendment widened multiple anti-terrorism units, the Den- have been efficient and successful, as among others.
the scope of counterterrorism activ- sus 88 remains the specialized squad part of a long-term approach, given The characteristic features of
ities but it raised concerns as regards for counterterrorism actions focused the country’s predominantly Muslim Continued on next page... >>

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