Detachment 88 Says NII In West Sumatra Wants To Overthrow Jokowi Before 2024, Fadli Zon: Making Up For Cornering Minang People, Just Focus On OPM

JAKARTA - Member of the House of Representatives from the Gerindra faction, Fadli Zon, responded to the Anti-Terror Detachment 88 of the Police which stated that the Indonesian Islamic State group or NII in West Sumatra (West Sumatra) plans to overthrow President Joko Widodo's government before the 2024 general election.

According to Fadli, Densus 88's allegations are far-fetched. It even seemed to corner the people of West Sumatra.

"It's like making it up. It's clearly cornering the Minang people, residents of West Sumatra," said Fadli Zon to reporters, Monday, April 18.

The former deputy chairman of the DPR said that Densus 88 should focus on dealing with problems in Papua. The reason is that the Free Papua Organization (OPM) is more real in rebelling and even using weapons and causing casualties.

"Detachment should focus on Papua because there is an OPM which is clearly rebelling with weapons and has caused civilian and police casualties," said Fadli.

He was also surprised that the OPM was not targeted by Densus 88 even though it was clear that their actions were terrorizing.

"Why is it that those who are clearly rebelling like the OPM are left alone by Densus? The correction is to see the real threat in the East. It is clear that there are armed groups who are rebelling," said Fadli.

Previously, investigators from the Special Detachment (Densus) 88 Anti-terror Police revealed plans for the Indonesian Islamic State (NII) network in West Sumatra. They are seeking to overthrow a sovereign government before the 2024 election year.

This was obtained from the information given by the suspect from the NII network to investigators. As well as evidence found at the location of the arrest.

"The evidence found also shows a number of plans being prepared by the West Sumatran NII network, namely efforts to overthrow a sovereign government before the 2024 election," said Head of the Operational Assistance Section (Kabagbanops) Densus 88 Anti-terror Police Kombes Aswin Siregar to reporters in Jakarta, Monday, April 18th.

Densus said that the NII West Sumatra network had the exact same vision and mission as NII Kartosuwiryo. Namely, replacing the ideology of Pancasila and the current system of Indonesian government with Islamic law, the caliphate system and Islamic law.

"From a number of evidences found in the form of written documents, it shows that the NII network in West Sumatra has the exact same vision and mission as NII Kartosuwiryo," said Aswin.