Terrorism Today: Countries Unconsciously Targeted Law Enforcers

MEDAN - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD claimed that he was not involved in the suicide bombing at the Medan Police Headquarters, North Sumatra. The police admitted that too. All claims can be said. Whether it was missed or not, we should judge for ourselves based on chronology and analysis of events.

When met by reporters at the Sentul International Convention Center (SICC), Mahfud said the government had made every possible preventative effort. Mahfud also rejected the term cheated, which is widely used to describe this incident.

"We have done prevention. There is intelligence, information. If there is no prevention, there will be more like this," said Mahfud.

Like Mahfud, the Head of the National Police's Public Information Bureau Brigadier General Pol Dedi Prasetyo said police personnel at the Medan Police Headquarters have been guarding according to fixed procedures (PROP). However, in reality the perpetrators still managed to infiltrate.

Dedi's own statement describes the infiltration process by the bomb detonator. According to Dedi, the perpetrators took advantage of the crowd at the Medan Police Headquarters which was receiving many requests for SKCK issuance.

"Everything has been checked. Including the items brought, have been checked," Dedi told reporters at the Police Headquarters, South Jakarta, Wednesday, November 13.

"It just so happened that at that time there were several police and community activities that were going to create SKCKs that jointly entered (to the Police Headquarters). The perpetrators used that moment to infiltrate," added Dedi.

The perpetrator was known to blow himself up when the police personnel had just finished the morning rally at around 08.45 WIB. The perpetrator entered through the front door of the Medan Police Headquarters.

He walked 30 to 50 meters to the Medan Police Operations Section Office and then detonated himself.

Terrorism observer Harits Abu Ulya reinforces the narrative that the state, especially the police, has been missed.

"This time the public could criticize the security forces for cheating. The reason is quite rational. Many have been arrested in the last few months, but there are still acts of terror," said Harits, contacted by VOI, Wednesday, November 13.

Arrest leads to revenge

Furthermore, Mahfud also said that the police had made their utmost efforts to prevent acts of terrorism. Indeed, since the stabbing of the former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto, the police have continued to arrest a number of suspected terrorists.

Finally, yesterday, Tuesday, November 12, the police arrested a suspected terrorist with the initials WJ alias Patria alias Dwi one day before the explosion. WJ was arrested in the Bekasi area, West Java.

The suspected terrorist figure is said to be a member of the Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) network. In fact, this man was the first batch of combat training in the terrorism group.

WJ is also known to have the ability to assemble bombs. He had participated in the war in Syria with Doctor Azahari seven years ago. "In 2012 (WJ) joined the war in Syria with Azahari and then established relations with the FSA or the Free Syria Army," said Dedi.

Then, WJ is also said to have traveled to several countries. Starting from the Philippines, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. During the arrest, several items in the form of arrows, electronic devices and communication tools were confiscated.

"We are still exploring whether this communication tool will be used for the series to assemble bombs, we are still investigating," said Dedi.

On the one hand, perhaps it is necessary to appreciate prevention efforts through these arrests. However, on the other hand, these various arrests also reinforce the fact that the police missed out.

Unconsciously they were targeted

The considerations are simple. The police have long been both the enemy and the main target of terrorists. And the more massive arrests, automatically increase the risk of attack for the Bhayangkara Corps. The police should know that.

According to Harits Abu Ulya, the suicide bombing at the Medan Police Headquarters had the same motive pattern: revenge. However, Harith cannot speculate on the origins of the terrorists.

"It may be related to previous police actions against their flock. Deemed to be an obstacle to their objectives and mission or deemed inhumane towards their captured comrade," Harits said.

The police seem to need to raise awareness that they are the main targets of acts of terrorism. Various events seemed to legitimize this view.

"Revenge has been transformed into an ideology that stimulates acts of terror from several persons or entities. Revenge becomes determination, plus being peppered with frozen theological doctrines, compounded to generate legitimacy for reckless acts of terror," Harits.

Another terrorism observer, Al Chaidar shared the same view. According to him, the police as law enforcers must be aware that they are the enemy of criminalism. Never mind terrorists.

For street criminals and drug criminals alone, the police are the biggest enemy. "So, the police should be more alert. And take action and arrest more quickly," said Chaidar when contacted by VOI.