NU urges security forces to arrest ISIS-joining Indonesians

Jakarta, NU Online
General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Said Aqil Siroj, popularly known as Kang Said, urged the security forces to be alert and arrest the followers of ISIS who returned home after going to fight in Syria and Iraq for it could cause security problems in the future.<>

"Obviously, they come home after joining terrorists, they are the same as the terrorists. The security forces should soon arrest them for being capable of causing problems later in life," he said.

The Indonesian National Counter-terrorism Agency (BNPT) estimated that more than 500 Indonesian citizens had joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Besides the issue of similar ideology, Kang Said said, the Indonesian people had joined the ISIS because of the lure of huge salaries that could reach 40 million per month.

Kang Said also deplored the destruction of the priceless historical sites, adding that at the pre-Islamic Arabian age of ignorance (jahiliyah), stone idols were worshiped. Now, there have been no idol worshippers. The treasured relics have now become a cultural heritage.

"Those who have destroyed it are not good men for not being able to  appreciate the works of the past," he said.

According to Kang Said, culture is a positive creativity for humans were given the reason, sense, so they could be creative in the art-forms. It is an expression of the beauty of human creativity.

ISIS and other radical Islamic groups, Kang Said added, had managed to portray Islam as a vile and inhumane religion of terrorism.  In fact, the Messenger (PBUH) has many followers because he teaches that Islam is not a violent religion.

Kang Said who completed his doctoral program at the Mecca's University of Umm Al-Qura said the restrictions on the use of violence in preaching were in the verse "La ikhora fiddin (there is no compulsion in religion)...," {Al Baqarah: 256} which prohibits imposing Islam to others.  The asbab al-nuzul of the verse, he said, was when an Arab who converted to Islam, and threatened his son who would not convert to Islam.

What is happening today is a major disaster in the era of globalization, "Islam fell as low as a result of a group of Muslims whose conduct is contrary to the teachings of Islam."

Meanwhile, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno suspected 514 Indonesians had joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS).

Tedjo said they joined ISIS after meeting other Indonesians who had returned from conflict-torn countries such as Iraq and Syria. “They are the ones who spread ISIS ideology. That’s what we are worried about,” said Tedjo on Thursday.

President Joko Widodo, meanwhile, has sent National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Marciano Norman to Turkey. Tedjo said the president probably asked Marciano to go to Turkey to investigate the possibilities of Indonesians becoming ISIS militants.

“Many Indonesians overseas apparently have the potential to become ISIS members,” said Tedjo.

Previously, 16 Indonesians were missing in Turkey on a trip organized by travel agency Smailing Tour. They were a part of a tour group consisting of 25 people that departed to Turkey in February from Jakarta.

As soon as they arrived at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, they told the group they wanted to separate from the group for a while and promised to rejoin them on February 26 at the city of Pamukkale, Turkey.

However, they never rejoined the group, which was scheduled to return home on March 4.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq