Violence in the Name of Islam: The case of ‘Islamic Defenders Front’ from Indonesia

Abstract

Although, resorting to violence in the name of Islam is not an entirely new phenomenon on its own, its share in the international relations literature has steadily increased after the 9/11 attacks. Studies conducted about the appearance, goals, organizational structures, and the means frequently resorted by the organizations that regard violence as a justifiable means in the name of Islam, have sought to better understand these organizations and offer projections as to how they could be convinced to put an end to their violent acts. This article aims to shed light onto root causes of the existence of one of the largest Islamic groups, Islamic Defenders Front (FPI – Front Pembela Islam), in a country with the largest Muslim population of the world, Indonesia. A thorough analysis of the organization‟s discourse and its actions reveals three main reasons: the perception that Islam is threatened by global and local forces and therefore the faith should be protected, the demand that Sharia‟s „universal‟ laws should be implemented and enforced by the state, and the claim that they, in essence, support the state‟s law enforcement officers in the fight against immorality, wrong deeds and heresy.