Taliban Issue Forces Indonesian Intelligence to Keep Tabs on Terrorist Groups

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy VII, Wawan Hari Purwanto, on Friday said that the his office is actively conducting early detection monitoring against terrorist groups in Indonesia with proximity to Taliban cells, especially after the rampant news about Kabul’s fall to Taliban rule. 

“Following Taliban's victory over Afghanistan, BIN along with other intelligence agencies are on guard and strengthening efforts for early detection and prevention of terrorist groups that have a proximity with Taliban ideology,” said Purwanto in a written statement on Friday, August 20.

He explained that the movement of terrorist groups in Indonesia were more or less influenced by the development in the global and regional scale. "The moment ISIS declared state in Iraq in 2014, several Indonesians were interested to be part of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.”

Purwanto assured that the State Intelligence continues to monitor the developments in Afghanistan, despite the group pledging not to disturb the foreign diplomatic missions in the country.

“The Indonesian government is monitoring the security situation in Afghanistan,” he said. “The safety of Indonesians and Indonesian Embassy staff are our utmost priority. So far, their condition in Afghanistan is safe and secure.”

Read: BNPT Watchful for Groups Rallying Sympathy for Taliban

DEWI NURITA