Indonesian govt urged take steps to curb Islamic radicalism



BANGKOK: -- The government of Indonesia has been urged to step up its efforts in fighting Islamic radicalism at home, in light of the recent disappearance of 16 Indonesian citizens in Turkey who are believed to have crossed over to Syria to join the extremist group Islamic State, The Jakarta Globe reported.

The missing 16 have been identified as members of three extended families from Surabaya, East Java, and Solo, Central Java. Consisting of seven men, four women, four children and an infant, the group was registered as part of a 25-member tour group organized by local travel company Smailing Tour.

However, upon arrival at Turkey’s Istanbul Ataturk Airport on Feb 24, they immediately separated from the rest of the group, saying they planned to visit relatives and would rejoin the tour group two days later in Pamukkale, southern Turkey. The family never appeared at the meeting point and the tour group had no choice but to return to Indonesia without them last Wednesday.

A special investigation unit was dispatched to Turkey on Monday to track the whereabouts of the missing Indonesians, according to Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, director of protection for Indonesian citizens at the Foreign Ministry. The team will work closely with the Turkish authorities.

Defense and security observer Bantaro Bandoro of the Indonesian Defense University criticized the Indonesian authorities — specifically the National Police and the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) — for their lack of progress in curbing growing support for the radical Islamic movement in the archipelago. More than 500 Indonesian jihadists are estimated to have fled to Syria and Iraq to join IS, according to BNPT data.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/indonesian-govt-urged-take-steps-to-curb-islamic-radicalism

-- Thai PBS 2015-03-11

They can be "urged" until the cows come home but as long as fundamentalism has the tacit and sometimes explicit support of the Indonesian military, these lunatics will continue to thrive. Add to that the stinking corrupt legal system, allowing the likes of Abu Bakir Bashir to be treated with kid gloves. The response of the weak sister, pale pink president? ....this is a cultural issue and wil be resolved over time.

Wut??? "Islamic radicalism" does not exist...

“There is no such thing as a radical or moderate form of Islam,” Anjem Choudary said. “You know, a woman is either pregnant or not pregnant. If you abide by Islam, and you follow what is in the Koran and the traditions of the prophet — then, quite frankly, you’d never find anything that I say which does not have Islamic basis.”

Even in Europe most of the muslims support sharia law...

Islamic fundamentalism has been entrenched in both Indonesia and Malaysia for a long time. I do believe the respective governments have some fear of them.

Well we can breathe a little easier, now knowing that ISIS aren't racists!...............Martin Luther King......I have a dream!

So an Indonesian investigative unit is despatched to Turkey. Well even presuming Indonesia can muster more than a half arsed face saving effort I doubt Turkey will be of much assistance. Turkey not only runs a completely porous border with Syria but they also treat ISIS fighters in their own hospitals and give ISIS their tacit support in fighting the Kurds around Kobane.

Still, to put things into perspective. If there are 500 Indonesians who joined ISIS out of a population of two hundred million mainly Muslims then I would suggest the need to curb Islamic 'radicalism' is more pressing in the UK, where an estimated 900 have joined ISIS out of a Muslim population of around 3 million.

So an Indonesian investigative unit is despatched to Turkey. Well even presuming Indonesia can muster more than a half arsed face saving effort I doubt Turkey will be of much assistance. Turkey not only runs a completely porous border with Syria but they also treat ISIS fighters in their own hospitals and give ISIS their tacit support in fighting the Kurds around Kobane.

Still, to put things into perspective. If there are 500 Indonesians who joined ISIS out of a population of two hundred million mainly Muslims then I would suggest the need to curb Islamic 'radicalism' is more pressing in the UK, where an estimated 900 have joined ISIS out of a Muslim population of around 3 million.

That 900 who have joined IS, is about a 1/3 more than have ever joined the UK Forces.

Makes you think.