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Reflection on the Dissolution of Jemaah Islamiyah

A few days ago, on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, a video recording surfaced showing 17 senior members of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a group affiliated with Al-Qaeda, a global terrorism network recognized as a terrorist organization by the United Nations (UN). This approximately three-minute-long video contained the declaration of the dissolution of Jemaah Islamiyah.

Initially, the video spread on social media among former JI members and on the Arrahmah media outlet. It was mentioned that the video was recorded on Sunday, June 30, 2024. The information shared was still fragmented, and the location remained unclear, only mentioned to be in Sentul, Bogor, West Java, although some media claimed it was at the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) office, which is also located in Sentul.

This event naturally sparked questions from many parties, both the general public and the media. Questions flooded my device. What are the possible implications of the dissolution of this organization? Does the dissolution of JI by its leaders signify the end of the organization responsible for the Bali bombings 1 and 2, 22 years ago? Or could this be the beginning of a new face of JI, such as New JI (Neo-JI) or Khilafatul Muslimin?

The leaders who entered the JI organizational structure made several commitments, including a national commitment to consciously return to the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). The dissolution of the organization they carried out was not a charade; they chose to recognize the NKRI as a nation-state, realizing that they live in Indonesia and should accept the democratic government model applied in Indonesia, and no longer hold the illusion of establishing an Islamic state that lacks a shari’ah basis in Indonesia.

Not only the public and the media were curious, but I was also too. There are questions I want to find answers too, such as the impact of this declaration on sympathizers and group members not within the organizational structure. How will those at the grassroots community of JI respond to this?

It should be noted that the video was not taken at the BNPT office. Although I was not present at the JI dissolution declaration by its leaders, I highly appreciate the parties who initiated and facilitated this declaration. This represents the success of the identification and socialization program by the Special Detachment 88 Anti-terrorism Unit of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) in using a soft approach to win the hearts and minds of JI leaders and members, leading them to voluntarily dissolve their organization. The dissolution process recorded in this video can later be processed in the district court to be legally ratified.

This indicates that the ideology of Pancasila remains a strong foundation in supporting the creation of peace and tranquility in Indonesia. Rather than weakening Pancasila to introduce a caliphate ideology contrary to Pancasila, which is not aligned with Indonesia’s cultural roots and identity. The Idensos program of the Densus 88 Anti-Terror Police has successfully convinced them to leave the network and return to the NKRI.

I cannot yet answer in detail the questions and concerns raised by the media, as the dissolution announcement has only taken place a few days ago. It is difficult to provide answers as it requires in-depth observation, considering Jemaah Islamiyah members are not limited to the names registered in their organizational structure.

JI has been a banned organization in Indonesia since 2007, but they have continuously recruited members, raised funds, and conducted military training to achieve their political goals. It is not impossible for splinter groups formed by members or sympathizers who do not agree with their leaders’ decision to emerge.

The future of JI largely depends on the leaders involved in the dissolution declaration, whether they will actively encourage their grassroots members and sympathizers to change direction. Or will it all stop at the dissolution declaration while these leaders allow their members and sympathizers to continue dreaming and illusioning about establishing an Islamic state in Indonesia?

Security forces along with BNPT will certainly continue to take preventive measures as a form of early mitigation, early awareness, and early prevention based on Article 43 of Law No. 5 of 2018 concerning the procedures for building national preparedness, counter-radicalization, and deradicalization by prioritizing a soft approach over a hard approach.

The social identification program or Idensos is a program owned by Densus 88 that has the same scope as the BNPT’s deradicalization program. Both involve coaching, mentoring, and empowerment activities. The coaching, mentoring, and empowerment efforts carried out by Densus 88 resulted in the declaration of JI’s dissolution by its leaders.

So, is this dissolution declaration a success of deradicalization? And will the dissolution of JI reduce terrorist cells in Indonesia? It should be understood that JI adheres to the salafi jihadi ideology, not takfiri. The holistic and comprehensive dissolution of the organization certainly includes the substance and vision-mission they have spread so far. They consider Indonesia as a thaghut state, not sovereign because it is not an Islamic state and does not enforce Islamic law. The declaration by JI leaders, in my view, is a statement and realization that JI has an ideology that contradicts Pancasila.

Post-dissolution, the state must be present to provide coaching, mentoring, and empowerment to JI members undergoing legal processes. For those who have been released and returned to society, BNPT can no longer monitor them because they have become ordinary citizens not related to the law. Supervision and monitoring can only be conducted by the surrounding community.

Former terrorist convicts who have returned to society are expected to participate in providing socialization and enlightenment to the community to not be easily swayed by ideologies contrary to Pancasila. They will be able to communicate more effectively to their friends still in the network and the community to take pride in being Indonesian citizens.

The dissolution of JI, which has garnered national and international attention, is hoped to influence terrorist groups in other countries to do the same. If this happens, society will feel safe and peaceful in their religious, national, state, and community life.

Regarding whether or not the percentage of terrorism cells decreases, I can only say that we hope that post-dissolution of JI, no one will be interested in joining or sympathizing with terrorist groups. Last year, 2023, marked a good start with zero terrorist attacks. But we must always remain vigilant, especially with the spread of radical terrorist ideologies through social media targeting anyone, including women and children.

Furthermore, it returns to the JI leaders who have declared the dissolution of JI, whether they will massively carry out counter-radicalization and participate in the deradicalization program in the form of coaching, mentoring, and empowerment by the Ministries and state institutions or vice versa. All depends on their concrete steps in the future.

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