Study shows how young radical Indonesian Muslims become terrorists
by Mathyas Hariyadi
A field research study in Central Java by the Setara Institute found that young radical Muslims are an army of potential recruits for Jihadist groups. Recent arrests of young terrorism confirm the study’s findings.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The Setara Institute has just released the results of a field research study in Yogyakarta and Central Java conducted in mid-January. It found that a number of radical Muslim activists in Central Java cities have become Jihadists. For the institute, this means that many radical Muslim groups are acting as “incubators” for actual terrorists in Indonesia.
The institute’s field research followed a shocking suicide bomb attack against a police station in Cirebon, West Java, in April 2011, which claimed the life of the attacker, Syarif, as well as a bomb attack against a Protestant church in Surakarta in Central Java in September 2011. The church attacker, Ahmad Yosepa Halyat, aka Ahmad Abu Daud, aka Raharjo, aka Hayat, was also killed in the incident.
An important finding by terrorism specialists is the fact that neither suicide bombers were members of known terrorist groups. However, both Syarif and Hayat were known to terrorism specialists as activists in Muslim youth groups.
A new trend is thus emerging, namely radical youth groups are acting as “incubators” for new Jihadists who later become terrorists.
According to the study by the Setara Institute, the reason for this shocking shift from activism to terrorism is a profound hatred for those who are not Muslims (for example, Christians) and for Indonesian security forces.
Before the fateful attack against the police in Cirebon and the Protestant church, many young Muslim radicals carried out raids against nightclubs and pornography.
A strong hostility towards those who in their views were responsible for wrongdoing against Islam motivates attacks against the police and members of other religious confessions. Strong anti-Americanism is another feature.
Without quick and radical change in the country, the study said, these radical youth organisations will not hesitate from using force in violent actions to reach their political goals, including imposing the Sharia.
Their constant efforts at recruiting new members are also worrisome. According to the Setara Institute, high school students and unemployed youth are their most “vulnerable” targets.
In the past five years, the number of new recruits has in fact jumped considerably, 52 per cent of survey respondents said. Anti-pornography campaigns are the best moments to recruit the most vulnerable.
Recent arrests of terrorism suspects in Klaten, Central Java, and near Surakarta and Yogyakarta, illustrate the problem. The men taken into custody are very young, some still in high school: Nugrojo Budi Santoso, 19; Agung Jati Santos, 21; Tri Budi Santoso, 20; Yuda Anggoro, 19; and Joko Lelolo, 18.
Where do these vulnerable youth undergo brainwashing? In various places, the Setara Institute found, including places of worship, where potential targets are met by mentors who plant jihadist ideas in their minds.
The institute’s field research followed a shocking suicide bomb attack against a police station in Cirebon, West Java, in April 2011, which claimed the life of the attacker, Syarif, as well as a bomb attack against a Protestant church in Surakarta in Central Java in September 2011. The church attacker, Ahmad Yosepa Halyat, aka Ahmad Abu Daud, aka Raharjo, aka Hayat, was also killed in the incident.
An important finding by terrorism specialists is the fact that neither suicide bombers were members of known terrorist groups. However, both Syarif and Hayat were known to terrorism specialists as activists in Muslim youth groups.
A new trend is thus emerging, namely radical youth groups are acting as “incubators” for new Jihadists who later become terrorists.
According to the study by the Setara Institute, the reason for this shocking shift from activism to terrorism is a profound hatred for those who are not Muslims (for example, Christians) and for Indonesian security forces.
Before the fateful attack against the police in Cirebon and the Protestant church, many young Muslim radicals carried out raids against nightclubs and pornography.
A strong hostility towards those who in their views were responsible for wrongdoing against Islam motivates attacks against the police and members of other religious confessions. Strong anti-Americanism is another feature.
Without quick and radical change in the country, the study said, these radical youth organisations will not hesitate from using force in violent actions to reach their political goals, including imposing the Sharia.
Their constant efforts at recruiting new members are also worrisome. According to the Setara Institute, high school students and unemployed youth are their most “vulnerable” targets.
In the past five years, the number of new recruits has in fact jumped considerably, 52 per cent of survey respondents said. Anti-pornography campaigns are the best moments to recruit the most vulnerable.
Recent arrests of terrorism suspects in Klaten, Central Java, and near Surakarta and Yogyakarta, illustrate the problem. The men taken into custody are very young, some still in high school: Nugrojo Budi Santoso, 19; Agung Jati Santos, 21; Tri Budi Santoso, 20; Yuda Anggoro, 19; and Joko Lelolo, 18.
Where do these vulnerable youth undergo brainwashing? In various places, the Setara Institute found, including places of worship, where potential targets are met by mentors who plant jihadist ideas in their minds.
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