Head Of BNPT: We Must Be Alert, Don't Let Taliban Momentum Become A Source Of Inspiration

Head of BNPT Boy Rafli Amar/PHOTO DOC ANTARA

BANYUWANGI - Head of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) Komjen Boy Rafli Amar asked Indonesians not to sympathize with the Taliban militia group that captured Afghanistan.

"Therefore, we must be careful not to let the momentum of the takeover of the Taliban become a source of inspiration," he said on the sidelines of a working visit in Banyuwangi, Thursday, August 26.

According to him, the Taliban is a political movement based on violence. In addition there is a track record of terrorism in the past by protecting Al-Qaeda leaders.

"It's different in the context of its goals (with Al Qaeda), but it refers to the same violent ideology," said Boy Rafli.

According to him, the ideology of violence is not the identity of Indonesia.

Indonesia, he said, was final with democracy, based on human rights, and based on the constitution.

"Because we are different types, we have found our identity and the Taliban are still in conflict with their own brothers," he continued.

Regarding propaganda and recruitment of terrorism during the pandemic, Boy Rafli said the pattern was using social media.

Therefore, the Head of BNPT reminded all parties to be vigilant regarding this pattern of using social media for propaganda.

"For this reason, young people who are active in social media have the potential to become recruitment targets," he said.

According to him, this recruitment is done in two ways. The first is through active recruiters on social media. The second is that citizens radicalize themselves by learning to create terror.

"This is open and the information is open on social media. We must strengthen our nationalism and the importance of digital literacy about the dangers if social media is controlled by criminals," said Boy Rafli.