Three Uzbeks, who were detained on suspicion of terrorism in Indonesia, escaped from the North Jakarta Class I Immigration Office on April 10. The trio was part of a group of four that was arrested on April 4 and charged with spreading terrorist propaganda online and being part of an unspecified international terror group. The escapees overpowered their guards with knives before making their way out of the cell. One guard, Adi Widodo, died as a result of injuries sustained; three other guards were seriously injured. The terrorists’ escape has led to a nationwide manhunt to try to recapture the suspects, which as of 16 April, remained at large.
Indonesia has a history with terrorism. On the island of Lombok, for instance, Indonesian police arrested seven men on terrorism charges. Lombok is a predominantly Muslim island, where police have conducted counter terrorism training for local police. Terrorism analysts say that only the nuts and bolts of counter-terrorism training ever filters down, while crucial elements of the more abstract frontline work, such as developing localised knowledge and building networks, are often neglected.
According to the Asia Foundation, while that there a significant number of Indonesians who harbour extremist views, one of the main factors behind radicalisation, and the spread of jihadist ideology, is a lack of effective state action in response to the spread of extremist ideology, as well as political factors that fuel division between religious groups, and security force abuses. In 2016, Indonesia announced plans to increase funding for counter-terrorism following a series of terrorist attacks that killed and injured a large number of people throughout the nation. Governments around the world face an evolving terrorist threat, with tech making it easier for extremist networks to share ideologies and communicate. The threat needs to be tackled using proven best practice methods to engage local communities and responsive government action, rather than solely through a ‘law and order’ approach.
Indonesia is no stranger to terrorist attacks, with the most infamous being in the tourist mecca of Bali in 2002. A total of 202 people lost their lives, including 88 Australians, in the Jemaah Islamiyah attack. Since then, there have been sporadic acts of violence carried out by extremists, though attacks had waned in recent years as the nation’s counter terrorism unit, Densus 88 stepped up surveillance of potential targets. The nation is home to the largest Muslim population in the world, so it has become a target for extremists, both from within and without its own borders.
