TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) is the government's partner in tackling and eradicating terrorism.

“It is a big mistake to think that MUI does not concern about terrorism because, since the beginning, MUI has been the government's partner in countering terrorism,” said Ma'ruf who is also the chairman of the MUI’s Advisory Board in a statement n Jakarta, Tuesday, November 23.

Ma'ruf asserted that MUI had issued a fatwa or an edict declaring terrorism as an unlawful act or haram and is not part of the jihad or efforts against enemies. The edict had been used since then as a reference by various institutions in countering terrorism.

Additionally, the council continues to collaborate with the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs in dealing with terror acts and radicalization. MUI had also established a Counter-Terrorism Team (TPT), which was inactivated for several years due to the presence of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency or BNPT.

In 2016, Ma'ruf Amin reactivated the team during his term as the MUI’s general chairman and cooperated with the government. “The team socializes efforts to ward off terrorism and radicalism,” he added.

As reported previously, the National Police’s counterterrorism squad Densus 88 arrested Ahmad Zain An Najah, Farid Okban, and Anung Al Hamat who were later known to be members of MUI on November 16 over alleged involvement in the terror group Jemaah Islamiyah.

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ANTARA