The Habibie Center: Women Involvement in Terrorism on a Rise
Translator
Ricky Mohammad Nugraha
Editor
Laila Afifa
Kamis, 14 Maret 2019 21:44 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Habibie Center researcher Vidya Hutagalung revealed an unfortunate fact where women are more actively involved in terrorist networks and terror acts in the past two years.
“The current tendency surely shows the transformation in the role posed by the female gender, which initially acted as supporters but is now more of an executor. The clear example was the bombing in Surabaya last year,” said Vidya to Tempo on Thursday, March 14.
Based on the bombings that happened separately in Surabaya and the most recent in Sibolga, North Sumatra, the women joined in the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) terrorist network are directly affiliated to ISIS where the role of women are urged to actively be executors.
“Other than that, there are also factors such as ideological ones, the disappointment toward democracy and the government which they think needs more female involvement,” said Vidya.
Read: Britain Strips Citizenship from Teenager who Joined ISIS in Syria
She argues that women are more vulnerable to radicalization spread through social media propaganda and dakwah (missionary work) across Islamic activities and prayer groups.
FRISKI RIANA