JAKARTA - The Special Detachment (Densus) 88 Anti-terror Police closely monitors the activities of terrorist groups or networks in Indonesia to prevent mass allegiance or every oath to the new leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) Abu Hassa al-Hashemi al-Qurashi.
The Head of the Operational Assistance Section (Kabagbanops) of Densus 88 Anti-terror Police Kombes Pol Aswin Siregar said there was no indication that ISIS had carried out a mass allegiance process in Indonesia. However, there is an allegiance process carried out by individuals or groups.
“There is no mass allegiance that we have monitored so far. Densus 88 continues to monitor this," Aswin said as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, May 18.
The process of taking an oath of allegiance to the new ISIS leader was carried out by a number of suspected members of the Poso East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) group who were arrested in three different areas.
A total of 24 members of the Poso MIT group who are also ISIS supporters were arrested on Saturday (14/5), with details of 22 people in the Central Sulawesi region, 1 person in Bekasi, West Java, and 1 more person in East Kalimantan.
Some of the suspects made allegiance independently through a text of allegiance sent by one of the suspects with the initials H. The pledge text was sent via an instant messaging application, then required other terrorist suspects to make a video of allegiance.
“The monitoring of the activities of terrorist groups or networks carried out by Densus 88 never ends. We do it every 24 hours, 7 days a week,” said Aswin.
To prevent mass allegiance, Aswin appealed to the public to participate in helping the police prevent this, by reporting to the nearest police force if they found suspicious activities in their surroundings.
Bai'at in the sense of swearing allegiance or declaring oneself to be part of a prohibited terror group. This act violates Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning Criminal Acts of Terrorism.
“Baiat is a sign that someone belongs to a group membership. The rules in the law are imposed, including malicious conspiracy with the intent of terror as stipulated in Article 15 in conjunction with Article 7 of the Terrorism Act," said Aswin.
The Director of Prevention of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) RI Brigadier General Ahmad Nurwakhid was contacted separately saying that every change of leadership in a terrorist organization will definitely be followed by a process of allegiance.
"To become a member of the network, you must first take bai'at, and every time there is a change in leadership, all members must also take bai'at," said Nurwakhid.
According to him, the allegiance process is adjusted to the instructions or directives of the leaders in each region.
Investigators are still conducting investigations and deepening related to the mass allegiance process that is possible in Indonesia.
"Whether in bulk or otherwise, investigators are still investigating," he said.
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