Calls Terror Trends In Indonesia Declining, Head Of BNPT: Terrorism Turns Slogi Bullets Into Ballots

Illustration. Residents passed near a banner against terrorists in the area of Jl Malioboro, Yogyakarta, May 2018. (ANTARA-Andreas Fitri A)

JAKARTA - Head of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) Rycko Amelza Dahniel said the trend of attacks on terrorism in Indonesia had decreased.

"Efforts to prevent and overcome violent-based extremism have shown a positive trend with the decline in the number of terror attacks from year to year in Indonesia," said Rycko at the JS Luwansa Hotel, Jakarta, Wednesday, July 5, which was confiscated by Antara.

Citing I-KHub BNPT Counter Terrorism and Violence Extreme Outlook, the total number of terror attacks in Indonesia from 2018 to 2022 was 49 times.

In 2018, there were 19 terror attacks recorded, then 11 times in 2019 and 2020, six times in 2021, and twice in 2022.

Even so, Rycko said the downward trend was like an iceberg theory.

"This situation is actually a visible situation that appears on the surface," he said.

Therefore, the Head of BNPT asked all parties not to be complacent and remain vigilant, especially against acts of terrorism that infiltrate people's lives.

"This group [terrorism] is starting to change its approach, from hard to soft approach, from bullet strategy to ballistic," he said.

Furthermore, Rycko said public awareness and synergy between parties are important to build as an effort to deal with violent-based extremism that leads to terrorism.

"We cannot deal with the notion of violent-based extremism alone," he added.

On the same occasion, BNPT launched four knowledge products in the form of an analysis and study related to the response to violent-based extremism that leads to terrorism in Indonesia.

The four knowledge products launched are I-KHub BNPT Counter Terrorism and Violence Extreme Outlook; K-Hub PCVE Outlook; Mid-Term Evaluation RAN PE; and Analysis of Local Government Readiness to Implement RAN PE.

The Head of BNPT hopes that the four knowledge products that have been launched will become material for further discussions to tackle violent extremism that leads to terrorism in Indonesia. "Of course we hope that the analysis study can be discussed and get a wider feedback from various groups," added Rycko.