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One of the traditions of Indonesia’s Independence Day is to
grant remission to prison inmates with a record of good behavior, including
terrorist convicts. This policy provides the prisoners with the possibility of
release on parole before serving their full sentence.
Sadly, Indonesia has experienced at least 28 known recidivist terrorists out of around 350 convicts released. This raises some disturbing questions: After a terrorist ex-convict has been released from prison, what causes him to reoffend? How many more “hidden” recidivists are still out there in the community? And the counter-question: What can society do to prevent this recidivism?
The answer to the first question varies. My series of interviews with terrorist recidivists suggest that the majority of them believe that jihad is a religious obligation and that there is a common understanding that when a jihadist is imprisoned, he is simply taking leave. When he is released, he will be ready to be reactivated.
With this kind of belief, no matter what the situation facing former terrorist inmates, they will be encouraged to return to their terrorist groups and carry out further terrorist acts.
Abdullah Sunata, a prominent terrorist convicted in 2004, is an example of such recidivism. He was released in 2008 and was then involved in weapons training in Aceh in 2010. He has given an interesting point-of-view. In his opinion, as long as what he believes in is right, he will have no other option than to act, whether inside or outside prison. “A committed mujahideen will not be limited by any condition or situation beyond himself”, he says.
There is also a desire for a recidivist ex-terror convict to experiment or retry that which he had failed to achieve. Fadli Sadama who is now on the run after the prison break in Medan, was involved in the Lippo Bank robbery in Medan in 2003, and again in the CIMB Niaga Bank robbery in 2010. “If jihad acts fail, it is most likely that improved jihad acts will be tried again later,” he said.
Peer pressure is another issue that should also be looked at. Deni Suramto, alias Ziad, was imprisoned in 2004-2007 in Cipinang because of his involvement in hiding the late Noordin M Top. Ziad assisted in hiding and protecting Noordin through feelings of obligation toward his comrade.
When the Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotel bombs exploded in July 2009, Urwah called Ziad and asked him to watch TV. Having watched the news of the incidents, Ziad asked Urwah, “who did the bombing?” Urwah did not reply other than to say: “You must be ready anytime. I’ll contact you again”. As a result of this blind loyalty, Ziad was committed to assisting his friend, no matter at what cost, saying. “I cannot ignore a request from a good friend“.
Ziad helped Urwah several times to hide and move from one safe house to another in the Central Java city of Surakarta and the surrounding area. Ziad was not on the police wanted list, allowing him to roam around freely. However, Ziad was worried because he had helped Urwah, who was a fugitive. So when Urwah was killed in a police raid, he was concerned that he might be the target of the next police operation. From 2009 to 2010, Ziad laid low, living a nomadic life and avoiding routine activities to minimize the possibility of arrest.
In 2010, Ubeid, another terrorist, convinced Ziad to get involved in a training program in Aceh, saying “It’s better if you join me and prepare yourself for jihad as that would be more beneficial than hiding and moving around”.
The choice for a released terrorist ex-convict is stark. Do I return to the pathway of jihad or do I reenter society to follow a normal life? This is the choice to be made. If he lives in a difficult social and economic situation, such as poverty, with a lack of education and a family that does not support him, it is most likely that a former terrorist inmate will return to the jihadist community, where he will be protected and cared for.
As a society, we need to treat terrorist ex-convicts differently to other types of criminals. There need to be special forms of arrangement, placement, supervision, development and rehabilitation for these former terrorists. In reality, the existing judicial system has insufficient funds, infrastructure and resources to handle the successful rehabilitation of former terrorists. This lack of post-detention care leaves terrorist inmates at risk of returning to violence, because they are not being properly assessed and are receiving insufficient re-programming to return to mainstream society.
As an offender of an extraordinary crime, a released terrorist ex-convict must be treated in an extraordinary way. We may use the analogy of bacteria and antibiotics to argue a new vision for successfully responding to the cycle of terrorism. ●
Sadly, Indonesia has experienced at least 28 known recidivist terrorists out of around 350 convicts released. This raises some disturbing questions: After a terrorist ex-convict has been released from prison, what causes him to reoffend? How many more “hidden” recidivists are still out there in the community? And the counter-question: What can society do to prevent this recidivism?
The answer to the first question varies. My series of interviews with terrorist recidivists suggest that the majority of them believe that jihad is a religious obligation and that there is a common understanding that when a jihadist is imprisoned, he is simply taking leave. When he is released, he will be ready to be reactivated.
With this kind of belief, no matter what the situation facing former terrorist inmates, they will be encouraged to return to their terrorist groups and carry out further terrorist acts.
Abdullah Sunata, a prominent terrorist convicted in 2004, is an example of such recidivism. He was released in 2008 and was then involved in weapons training in Aceh in 2010. He has given an interesting point-of-view. In his opinion, as long as what he believes in is right, he will have no other option than to act, whether inside or outside prison. “A committed mujahideen will not be limited by any condition or situation beyond himself”, he says.
There is also a desire for a recidivist ex-terror convict to experiment or retry that which he had failed to achieve. Fadli Sadama who is now on the run after the prison break in Medan, was involved in the Lippo Bank robbery in Medan in 2003, and again in the CIMB Niaga Bank robbery in 2010. “If jihad acts fail, it is most likely that improved jihad acts will be tried again later,” he said.
Peer pressure is another issue that should also be looked at. Deni Suramto, alias Ziad, was imprisoned in 2004-2007 in Cipinang because of his involvement in hiding the late Noordin M Top. Ziad assisted in hiding and protecting Noordin through feelings of obligation toward his comrade.
When the Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotel bombs exploded in July 2009, Urwah called Ziad and asked him to watch TV. Having watched the news of the incidents, Ziad asked Urwah, “who did the bombing?” Urwah did not reply other than to say: “You must be ready anytime. I’ll contact you again”. As a result of this blind loyalty, Ziad was committed to assisting his friend, no matter at what cost, saying. “I cannot ignore a request from a good friend“.
Ziad helped Urwah several times to hide and move from one safe house to another in the Central Java city of Surakarta and the surrounding area. Ziad was not on the police wanted list, allowing him to roam around freely. However, Ziad was worried because he had helped Urwah, who was a fugitive. So when Urwah was killed in a police raid, he was concerned that he might be the target of the next police operation. From 2009 to 2010, Ziad laid low, living a nomadic life and avoiding routine activities to minimize the possibility of arrest.
In 2010, Ubeid, another terrorist, convinced Ziad to get involved in a training program in Aceh, saying “It’s better if you join me and prepare yourself for jihad as that would be more beneficial than hiding and moving around”.
The choice for a released terrorist ex-convict is stark. Do I return to the pathway of jihad or do I reenter society to follow a normal life? This is the choice to be made. If he lives in a difficult social and economic situation, such as poverty, with a lack of education and a family that does not support him, it is most likely that a former terrorist inmate will return to the jihadist community, where he will be protected and cared for.
As a society, we need to treat terrorist ex-convicts differently to other types of criminals. There need to be special forms of arrangement, placement, supervision, development and rehabilitation for these former terrorists. In reality, the existing judicial system has insufficient funds, infrastructure and resources to handle the successful rehabilitation of former terrorists. This lack of post-detention care leaves terrorist inmates at risk of returning to violence, because they are not being properly assessed and are receiving insufficient re-programming to return to mainstream society.
As an offender of an extraordinary crime, a released terrorist ex-convict must be treated in an extraordinary way. We may use the analogy of bacteria and antibiotics to argue a new vision for successfully responding to the cycle of terrorism. ●
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