TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government is monitoring the movements and activities of Indonesians who just returned from the Middle East, especially those coming from Syria.
Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius, head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), said the government wants to make sure that none of these returnees still have radical ideology that may lead to them carrying out acts of terrorism.
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"We will handle this through cooperation [between state agencies] as we don’t have a regulation for it yet," he said in Jakarta yesterday.
Based on Law no.15/2003 on Counterterrorism, the police cannot capture anyone under terrorism allegations without strong evidence. The House of Representatives (DPR) and the government are currently working on drafting that law.
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Due to the lack of regulations, Suhardi said, the BNPT is verifying ever returnee from the Middle East, dividing them into two groups: fighters and ideology supporters.
These people will be 'deradicalized' before they can return to their homes.
"I asking the local governments and the Home Affairs Ministry to help," he said.
Some time ago, Polri spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said the police are compiling the data on Indonesians returning from the Middle East. He said that combatants from Syria with radical ideology may try to spread their beliefs, which then may trigger acts of terrorism. "This is what we must prevent," he said on Sunday.
YOHANES PASKALIS PAE DALE | ISTMAN M.P | HUSSEIN ABRI DONGORAN
