Jemaah Islamiyah Research Articles

From a jihadist into an agent against violent extremism: a case study of self-transformation

ABSTRACT This paper explores the self-transformation of a former terrorist in Indonesia who is building a role as an activist against violent extremism. This case study focuses on the former extremist’s process of self-change. The participant is a 42-year-old male who was a member of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), and who was captured in 2014 and imprisoned. The paper draws on in-depth interviews conducted with this individual and his wife. The findings explore how he became involved in JI, arising from a sense of solidarity with the global jihadist movement and the need for self-significance. The process of self-change is explored, relating to the impact of encounters in prison and an increasing awareness of the burden his actions had on his family and the way terrorism framed Islam and Muslims in a negative light. This transition led this former extremist to become a member of an NGO campaigning against violent extremism. This study provides insight into the role of self-transformation in the disengagement and reintegration process.

Konsep Moderasi Beragama dalam Islam Perspektif Habib ‘Ali al-Jufri

The rise of socio-religious conflicts that have occurred in Indonesia in recent years has caused the condition of Indonesian society to be threatened. Such as the case of acts of terrorism by ISIS networks and radical Islamic groups. Also the movement against pancasila by the leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah group, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. One of the factors causing the emergence of religious social conflicts is the existence of differences in views and beliefs about something. Overcoming this, religious moderation is conceptualized as a powerful solution in controlling radical and extreme ideas. In this study, researchers felt the need to reexamine the concept of religious moderation from the frame of Islam in the view of Habib 'Ali al-Jufri. This research uses descriptive qualitative research methods with the type of literature research. The focus of research by researchers is taken from two points, namely; a) the concept of religious moderation in the Islamic perspective of Habib 'Ali al-Jufri; b) the relevance of the concept of religious moderation in Islam from Habib 'Ali al-Jufri's perspective to the religious diversity of Indonesian society. Religious moderation according to Habib 'Ali al-Jufri is a person's religious perspective or attitude while still maintaining human values. In such conditions, the similarity of form as a creature of Allah SWT becomes a factor to be generous with various differences. The concept of religious moderation by Habib 'Ali al-Jufri is very important and very relevant to be applied in Indonesia. Considering Indonesia with a Muslim majority and various mass organizations in it. Thus, the concept of humanizing humans is the main indicator in realizing the glory and glory of Muslims in Indonesia.

From Non-Violent to Violent Radicalization and Vice Versa: Three Case Studies from Indonesia

The intricate connection between violent and nonviolent extremism has been a source of debate among radicalization scholars. Some suggest that despite their non-military tactics, Islamists share ideological commonalities with jihadists. Others emphasize the unbridgeable rifts between non-violent and violent Islamists. Rather than simply viewing Islamism and Salafism either as a gateway to or a bulwark against terrorism, we analyze the contingent and variegated movements between violent and non-violent extremism in the context of religio-political polarization in Indonesia. Behavioral and ideological change, we argue, is best seen as a continuum with possible gradations along the spectrum, across which movement is determined by external shocks, reflection, and the role of social networks. Three case studies are discussed which represent three types of crossover: the ideological and tactical shift from Salafism to jihadism; the tactical radicalization of a splinter faction of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI); and the hybrid (partial ideological and tactical) deradicalization of Jemaah Islamiyah.

Counterintelligence, Policy Recommendation and Military Convergence in Dealing with Current and Emerging Regional Implications of Jemaah Islamiyyah

This study was conducted to seek reemerging threats of JI in recent years, counterintelligence taken by police and military convergence. Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) is an Islamist extremist group in Indonesia that seeks to overthrow the government and create a pan-Islamic state in Southeast Asia. It has ideological origins in the Darul Islam (DI) movement of the 1950s and 1960s, in which insurgents of West Javanese descent carried out a violent campaign that attempted to establish an Islamic state in Indonesia. Despite the arrest of more than 100 Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members in the last two years, the militant organization appears resilient, partly due to its hierarchical organizational structure. Such a structure has enabled JI to have a strong agenda-setting capacity and exercise accountability and specialization within its hierarchy. This study is qualitative in nature. I conducted in-depth library and fieldwork research with former JI operatives and Police (POLRI & DENSUS 88, PDRM) officers. My findings show the survival patterns JI in the context of operations, which includes personal, political, economic, and community structure within their circle. To curb the threat of JI, I would like to suggest the Government of Indonesia and regional members devise an action plan to address the terrorist-related issues

Misuse of Islamic Charity for Terrorism in Indonesia: Modus, Countermeasures, and Challenges

Terrorists need money to fund their actions. Financing terrorism in the last two decades has become more complicated worldwide due to the involvement of individuals and networks, partly by misusing religious charity. This study seeks to raise their modus, government countermeasures and challenges in Indonesia. It used terrorist financing theories and a qualitative approach with multi-data collection methods. It found that in the last two decades, terrorist groups in Indonesia, including Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), Jemaah Ansharu Daulah (JAD), and Jemaah Ansharu Khilafah have misused Islamic charities for terrorism actions, including training, falsifying data, purchasing weapons and explosive material, and travelling to conflicting zones. They capitalized on Islamic narratives to cover their terror mission. The Indonesian government has taken strategies and measures to address terrorism financing, such as ratifying international regulations, making follow-up regulations, establishing taskforce and enforcing the laws, covering investigating leaders, arresting the suspecting leaders and freezing the organizations. However, government efforts still pose several challenges in terms of the sensitivity of the issue, the problems in finding proof, inadequate regulation, poor prevention measures and poor law enforcement in the social media.

AN EFFORTS TO PREVENT TERRORISM AS A TRANSNATIONAL CRIME THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IMMIGRATION CONTROL

The threat of terrorism in the world is increasing and the changes in tactics and strategies used by terrorist groups show the importance of international cooperation in fighting terrorism. Indonesia as a country with a strategic geographical location and abundant natural resources also faces the threat of terrorism. Movements of radical organizations such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Jemaah Islamiyah have made Indonesia one of the targets for the spread of radicalism within the country. Therefore, supervision carried out by the immigration authorities plays an important role in controlling the potential for radicalism and terrorism. The Indonesian government has an obligation to protect sovereignty and maintain national integrity from threats both from within and from outside. Immigration as part of the government has a role in maintaining domestic security stability. In the context of immigration, strict monitoring of the movement of foreigners is very important in dealing with the threat of terrorism.

Persuasive Approach to Terrorist Organization Members through the Welfare and Investment of National Values

Eradicating members of terrorist organizations is not limited to actions such as prison sentences. However, it can be a persuasive approach through welfare and the installation of national values. This right attempts to help terrorists understand and return to the teachings of the Indonesian Constitution and the Unitary Republic of Indonesia. To address the nature, characteristics, motives, and objectives of terrorism, this research formulated the concept of a persuasive approach to members of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorism organization based on Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism. This paper also emphasizes the concept of deradicalization through a persuasive approach based on law Responsive to JI members involved in criminal acts of terrorism. This study employs a qualitative approach that is analyzed descriptively and normatively. According to the findings of this study, the essence of terrorism is an activity that causes unrest in people while masquerading as religion and has various characteristics and motives. Law enforcement is holistic, comprehensive, and long-term through a repressive legal approach model. The process of a repressive legal approach through the criminal justice system, in which the deradicalization process is expected to reform a terrorism prisoner from radical to moderate while serving a criminal sentence.

The Reintegration of Former Jihadist Detainees in Solo Region: Changing A Way of Life in A New Life

In the process of deradicalization, the reintegration of former jihadist detainee places as the most dilemmatic agenda to conduct. It raises a problematic situation between the issue of security and restoring the former jihadist detainees’s human rights. But, the struggle in the reintegration process not only occurs to the state and host community but also to the former jihadist detainees itself. This paper focuses on the story of former jihadist detainees in Solo region who have different experiences in their reintegration process and their strategies to encounter the problem as an effort to erase the radical thinking and start a new life. Solo Region was chosen because it receives a 'stigmatization' as a cultivation region for religious radicalism because of its record on radical Muslim's web and figure such as Abubakar Baasyir (the founder of Islamic radical group namely Jemaah Islamiyah). It also becomes a growing place for Islamic radicalism groups such as Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) and Jamaah Islamiyah which contributed toward Makassar’s Cathedral bombing, Bali bombing I and II and Laskar Jihad and Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia which tried to enforce Islamic value in Indonesia. The data of this research was gained by conducting an in-depth interview with four former jihadist detainees in Solo region who are willing to be interviewed under the pseudonym. Also, exposure some references as the secondary data. This article found that a sustainable, gradual, and comprehensive reintegration process in social, ideological, political, and economic aspects could support the effort of former jihadist detainees in the Solo region to establish a new life.

الســــلفيــــــــــة «دراسة في نشأتها التاريخية وتياراتها»

الســــلفيــــــــــة «دراسة في نشأتها التاريخية وتياراتها»

DINAMIKA TERORISME DI INDONESIA STUDI TENTANG LOKALISASI IDEOLOGI EKSTERNAL

AbstrakThe terrorism movement in Indonesia has developed from time to time. It perceived when comparing the perceptions of The Indonesian Islamic State from each group. Darul Islam, the root of the extremism movement, echoed the narrative of jihad against the colonialist. They believed that theocracy was an ideal state construction amidst the disappointing policies of the Central Government at the beginning of independence. In the meantime, the perception of Jemaah Islamiyah towards an Islamic state was full of Salafi nuances because they believed that its establishment as an obligation for every Muslim. Meanwhile, Jemaah Ansharul Daulah noticed The Indonesian Islamic State as only part of a global caliphate. The author argues that this dynamic is caused by the phenomenon of ideological internalisation. By combining localization theory and ideological concepts, this article concluded that the ideological localization of external radicalism occurred for three reasons, namely moral compliance to adopt a more argumentative ideology, rational calculations of strategies that can be implemented in the local context and temporary strategies to maintain group existence.

DINAMIKA TERORISME DI INDONESIA STUDI TENTANG LOKALISASI IDEOLOGI EKSTERNAL

AbstrakThe terrorism movement in Indonesia has developed from time to time. It perceived when comparing the perceptions of The Indonesian Islamic State from each group. Darul Islam, the root of the extremism movement, echoed the narrative of jihad against the colonialist. They believed that theocracy was an ideal state construction amidst the disappointing policies of the Central Government at the beginning of independence. In the meantime, the perception of Jemaah Islamiyah towards an Islamic state was full of Salafi nuances because they believed that its establishment as an obligation for every Muslim. Meanwhile, Jemaah Ansharul Daulah noticed The Indonesian Islamic State as only part of a global caliphate. The author argues that this dynamic is caused by the phenomenon of ideological internalisation. By combining localization theory and ideological concepts, this article concluded that the ideological localization of external radicalism occurred for three reasons, namely moral compliance to adopt a more argumentative ideology, rational calculations of strategies that can be implemented in the local context and temporary strategies to maintain group existence.

Networks, Power, and the Effects of Legitimacy in Contentious Politics

Legitimacy is widely theorized as shaping the dynamics of contentious politics, fostering support and stability for those involved while imposing behavioral constraints. Yet, empirical research reveals wide variation in how these effects are realized in practice. We contend that divergences in legitimacy’s effects are tied in fundamental ways to the relationship between actors engaged in contentious politics and their audience(s). We develop a framework that highlights three conditions shaping the effects of legitimacy—legitimacy type, network balance, and structural dependence—and use a comparative analysis of dyadic relationships of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, and Jemaah Islamiyah to illustrate how convergence and divergence in legitimacy’s effects are systematically structured by these conditions. Doing so advances scholarship on legitimacy in contentious politics by providing a basis for systematically comparing the effects of legitimacy across cases, situations, and historical contexts.

“The Danger of Intolerant Above-ground, Non-clandestine Organizations is Bigger for Indonesia Than Violent Extremism”: An Interview with Sidney Jones on Religious Extremism, Political Violence and Conflict Dynamics in Indonesia

Sidney Jones is director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC). From 2002 to 2013, she worked with the International Crisis Group, first as Southeast Asia project director, then from 2007 as senior adviser to the Asia program. Before that she worked for the Ford Foundation, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch. She is an expert on security in Southeast Asia, particularly Islamic terrorist move- ments in Indonesia. Jones has analyzed and extensively written on separatist conflicts (Aceh, Papua, Mindanao), communal conflicts (Poso, Moluccas), and ethnic conflict (Kalimantan) in Indonesia. She also has studied Islamic radicalism, producing reports on the Islamist terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah and its operations in Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as issues of security sector reform and decentralization in Indonesia. This interview was conducted and recorded at IPAC office in Jakarta on 20 August 2019. It focuses on questions of religious extremism, political violence, and conflict dynamics in contemporary Indonesia.

From Ambon to Poso: Comparative and Evolutionary Aspects of Local Jihad in Indonesia

This article looks at the first two local jihads in Indonesia after the fall of President Suharto: the 1999-2005 Ambon jihad and the 2000-7 Poso jihad. Both jihads were launched by Javanese mujahidin in response to the eruption of Christian-Muslim communal violence. The Ambon jihad was characterized by disagreement, infighting and lack of strategic direction, while the Poso jihad was comparatively better led and linked to the broader goals of establishing an Islamic state in Indonesia. This article explores the differences between the two jihads and asks to what extent the better organization of the Poso jihad was the result of lessons learnt from the “mistakes” of the Ambon jihad. The article advances two arguments. First, the Ambon jihad was undermined by the lengthy debate within Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) on how to respond to the Ambon conflict as well as by the shifting dynamics between JI, Mujahidin KOMPAK and Laskar Jihad. Second, that the Poso jihad was more organized than the Ambon one because JI’s leadership had a more comprehensive approach to the Poso jihad; because JI and Mujahidin KOMPAK had learnt from the mistakes of the Ambon jihad in the areas of leadership, training and using local jihads to achieve national aims; and because the intra- and inter-mujahidin dynamics and with it the “state of jihad” had evolved between February 1999 and September 2000.

Organized insurgency, lethality, and target selection: Abu Sayyaf Group and Jemaah Islamiyah

ABSTRACT I examine the relationship between organizational stability, lethality, and target selection, and attack method of Southeast Asian insurgency. I do so by comparing the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), using data of their activities between 1994 and 2015. I make two arguments. First, organizationally unstable insurgency groups tend to see their members increase generate more casualties, while stable groups often experience reduction of violence. Second, organizational instability makes it more likely for groups to target civilian populations and business infrastructure than government, military and police forces, and transportation buildings. In contrast, organizational stability has limited explanatory power on its attack methods.

Fundamentalisme Dan Gerakan Radikal Islam Kontemporer(Kasus Jama'ah lslamiyah di Indonesia)

The phenomenon of fundamentalism and radicalism at least can be seen in the case of Jemaah Jslamiyah in Indonesia. Whether or not Jemaah Islamiyah has a link with Al-Qaeda headed by Osama Bin Laden, obviously its movement has affiliations not only in Indonesia, but also in Malaysia, Singapore, and South Philippine, and even in Thailand, Burma, and Brunei. Jemaah lslamiyah is believed to be established by Abdullah Sungkar in Malaysia in /994/1995 for the aim of establishing an Islamic State. Jemaah lslamiyah is the realization of Hybrid ideology inspired by some other movements, such as Egypt Radical Moslem, Darul Islam Movement, Dewan Dakwah Islamiyah Indonesia (DDI). This movements view the effort of Christian missionary as a threat to Islam.

Why They Join: Pathways into Indonesian Jihadist Organizations

ABSTRACTWhy do Indonesian Muslims join Islamist extremist groups? This article explores four pathways to entry into Indonesian militant groups: study sessions, local conflict, kinship, and schools. It argues that within all four of these pathways, social bonds and relationships are the common thread in encouraging entry as well as in fostering commitment. Specifically, these relationships contribute to the formation and eventual consolidation of one’s identity as a member of the jihadi group through regular participation in activities, attending meetings, narrowing the circle of friends to those within the group, and participating in increasingly risky and possibly violent activities together. Drawing on original fieldwork including 49 interviews with current and former members of Jemaah Islamiyah, Mujahidin KOMPAK, Darul Islam, Mujahidin Tanah Runtuh, Indonesia’s pro-ISIS network, and other jihadist groups as well as 57 depositions and court documents, this article explores the development and evolution of these pathways and how relational ties play a role in each.

Mindanao, Konflik dan Terorisme: Kajian Pendahuluan atas Ketegangan di Filipina Selatan

Mindanao is the second largest island in Philippines and one of the three main island groups along with Luzon and Visayas, the South Philippines . Mindanao is one of region in Southeast Asia which has been spectacularly a bright spot of world-class terrorism, because of the very high incidents of piracy and the ever-growing threat of terrorism. Southeast Asia is the region most vulnerable to piracy, accounting for about 50 percent of all attacks worldwide. This situation is exacerbated by the indigenous people of terrorist groups with strong maritime traditions. The nexus exchange between piracy and terrorism makes maritime terrorism in Southeast Asia a regional security concern. The Abu Sayyaf (ASG), Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, GAM), and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) are the three terrorist groups in South Philippines, Southeast Asia with the intent and proven ability to engage in maritime terrorism. Of this group, the Abu Sayyaf is the best known but least understood and it has been source of tension in the South Philippines and Southeast Asia

MENCARI PERSPEKTIF TERORISME DI INDONESIA:

There is a strong perception among observers that Southeast Asia is a “second front” in the “global war on terrorism” —after Middle Eastern countries as the “first front”. Others have even suggested that this region is a “haven” for terrorism. Among the countries in the Southeast Asia —Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines— Indonesia has special attention. Not only because Indonesia is a country with the largest Muslim population in the world —according to 2005 statistics, the country is inhabited not less than 208.819.86 soul with the percentage of more than 90 percent Muslim. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, because of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), which was identified as the al-Qaeda network of localglobal Muslim organization under the command of Osama Bin Laden in Southeast Asia, not only initiated by Muslim Indonesia, but also gain fertile ground for growth. This paper seeks to provide an explanation of terrorism, social and political background of the emergence of terrorism in the Muslim world, and radical Islamist groups that contribute to the emergence of militant attitude among some Muslim countries, including Indonesia.
 KEY WORDS:Terrorism, Southeast Asia, Jemaah Islamiyah, al-Qaeda network, radical Islamist group, Collective Action Theory.

Beyond the Extremism of Radical Muslim Groups: A Socio-Historical Study

Muslim terrorist group is a contrast issue, they are the one who openly opposes the U.S. Oppression, but on another side, they are blamed for being a terrorist. The story started with oppression on Muslim countries everywhere: Afghanistan was invaded by USSR army, then 1991, Iraq also was attacked as a response call from the US to Kuwaiti aid request, then in 2001, Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the U.S., then the raid over Taliban and all its organization in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the military operation in Iraq, 2003, and daily killing upon Palestinian since 1967 with no ending etc. So, the counter upon oppression rises, but unfortunately those who struggled to defend Muslim territories against U.S. invasion are called as a “terrorist”. Once upon a time in 2000, Bali was the most destined of tourism but unexpectedly, a big tragedy happened in Indonesia with the bomb explosion in Bali Island and killed 202 people, most of the victims were foreign tourists. The result of investigations pointed to “Jemaah Islamiyah” as an actor of that incident. The national and International news media posted that “Jamaah Islamiyah” did a terror on the basis of jihad against America and its allies who invaded a Muslim country, but unfortunately, the victims were civilians who have nonsense affiliated with politics. Keywords:Terrorist, Extremism, and Radical Muslim GroupÂ