A month after attacks by Islamic State (ISIS) inspired militants outside a Jakarta Starbucks, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has set into motion tougher anti-terrorism laws to help the country better protect itself from future attacks.
Indonesia is the fourth most populated country in the world, with the highest population of Muslims. Of the 250 million Muslim Indonesians, most practice a moderate form of Sunni Islam. Still, Indonesia has suffered several major bomb attacks by Islamic radicals between 2000 and 2009, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.
January’s attack was the worst since 2009, and the man behind it, an Indonesian national, is believed to be in Syria with ISIS. Security officials estimate about 700 Indonesians have traveled to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, with about one in five returning home.
The Cipher Brief experts agree that though the threat of ISIS in Indonesia exists, it should not be exaggerated. Editor in Chief of the Jakarta Post, Endy Bayuni told The Cipher Brief, “The country with the world’s largest Muslim population has always been vulnerable to terrorist attacks from radical Islamic groups. Most are home grown and they predated the terrorist organizations in the Middle East. Any connection they have with the likes of Al Qaeda and the IS are more for reasons of convenience such as securing funds. But they work and act independently.”
Following the attacks in Bali, the United States and Australia helped establish a counterterrorism unit in Indonesia, called Densus 88, to systematically combat the threat.
Still, Indonesian police have struggled recently to prevent attacks, as current law inhibits the detention of potential terrorists absent a direct threat or an attack. “To be successful the police have to catch would-be terrorists in the act. Even when they do, the porous prison system allows prisoners to maintain their contacts, and even orchestrate attacks from jail,” former member of the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service, John Sipher, told The Cipher Brief.
An alleged militant group of 38 men was released from prison this week after officials were unable to prove the group was plotting an eminent attack. Police seized air rifles, knives, and jihadist books and flags when the militant group’s camp was raided over the weekend.
To help overcome these deficiencies, President Widodo and the Indonesian government have drafted a counterterror law and plan to set aside approximately $1.4 trillion USD to strengthen Densus 88.
President Widodo’s revised law would allow for those suspected of plotting terrorist acts to be detained for up to six months without charges, and raids and arrests by Indonesia’s anti-terrorism squad could be authorized by intelligence based reports. Still, the prioritization of security over individual legal rights has drawn criticism from human rights groups and reminded many of the country’s former dictator, Suharto.
Indonesia has for many years boasted about their successes in countering terrorism, attributing it to a strong democratic government and a developing economy—and the relatively low number of terror attacks suggests they have a right to be proud. Indonesia’s freedom of speech, civil rights, open elections, and strong rule of law are likely more effective efforts to counter terrorism than even the most funded task force.
Many fear the new counter terrorism law will be a step in the wrong direction for Indonesia, and the country proud of its moderate Muslim population, slowly begins repressing them again. Still, President Widodo has approved the final draft, and he appears to face little opposition in Parliament.
January’s attacks in Jakarta have effectively scared the Indonesian population and revealed areas where current laws hinder police capacity to protect the Indonesian people. Indonesia now faces the challenge of how to ensure the security of the Indonesian people, while at the same time upholding the rule of law.
Alexandra Viers is an International Producer with The Cipher Brief.
