TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti said the police had secured the identities of 159 Indonesians who had joined the Islamic State and Greater Syria (ISIS).
Badrodin said they were now in Syrian territory and fought with ISIS militants. “We have complete data, the names, and the addresses,” Badrodin said when visiting Tempo office on Friday, March 27, 2015.
Information on Indonesians joining the Islamist group came to light following last month’s arrests of 16 Indonesian nationals seeking to enter Syria by the Turkish government. The Indonesians left for Turkey with travel agent Smailing Tour on February 24 but later detached from their group.
Twelve of the 16 Indonesians were deported to Indonesia last Thursday, while the remaining were still in Turkey due to pregnancy. Badrodin said the Indonesians were scheduled for deradicalization counseling upon arriving in Indonesia.
The Indonesians have been identified as Tsabita Utsman Mahdamy, Salim Muhammad Atamim, Fauzi Umarsalim, Jusman Army, Ulan Isnuri, Hamara Hafshan, Aura Kardova, Dayyan Akhtar, Hamzah Hafiz, Soraiyah Cholid, dan Urayana Afra—all hailing from Surabaya, East Java—and Usman Mustofamahdani, Sakinah Syawemitafsir, Hapid Umar Babher, Utsman Hafid, and Atikah Hapid—registered as residents from Surakarta, Central Java.
Badrodin said the number of Indonesians who had joined ISIS was higher than 16, revealing the police had so far listed 159 names. “Most of them are from Central and East Java,” he said. The National Intelligence Agency (BIN), meanwhile, recorded 514 Indonesians had joined the Islamist extremists.
RUSMAN PARAQBUEQ