The ruling by the South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday to disband ISIS-linked organization, Jamaah Anshorut Daulah (JAD), for terrorism-related activities may lead to increasing underground activities by terrorist cells, which requires a different counter-measure by law enforcement.
Judge Aris Bawono Langgeng stated that JAD, as represent by its legal representative Emir Zainal Anzhori, has been proven to carry out terrorism activities. The court froze permits for JAD and other organizations affiliated with ISIS, ISIL, IS or DAESH and declared them all as forbidden.
The verdict is in accordance with prosecutor’s demand on previous hearing on July 26 that JAD. Prosecutors alleged all of the organizations played a significant role in recent terror attack in the country, including Thamrin, Kampung Melayu, Samarinda church attack, and others.
The court’s ruling will make it easier for law enforcement to pursue any members of JAD or any other organizations with suspected links to terrorist activities. For the organizations, the court’s ruling may push them to underground activities and create sleeper cells.
This will lead to a shift of tactics for terrorist cells from organizational-style leadership to small groups with little or no visible connection among each other which, as recent attacks shown, could be equally devastating.
The string of terrorist attacks in East Java was carried out by terrorist cells in the form of family. Such strategy will present more difficulties as groups rely more on direct form of interaction and will leave few traces in transmission of communication or flow of money.
Another impact of the rule, is a potential of backlash from organized groups or sympathizers in “lone wolf ” attacks. Certainly,the main target of the group are parties considered as enemies number one, which at the moment is the police.
Indonesia National Police, Indonesian Military, State Intelligence Agency and Counter-Terrorism Agency need to collaborate to eradicate these radical groups. By early detection, the security officers can secure accurate mapping and valid data on the groups. The next move is early prevention by taking action against people or groups that become members of JAD or other ISIS-affiliated groups.
*Stanislaus Riyanta, TIS Intelligence’s Analyst and Doctoral Student in Public Policy at Indonesian University
