Defense Analysis

The Existence of ISIS in Indonesia

by David Raja Marpaung

ISIS Indonesia was declared in Indonesia on March 16, 2014 at Bundaran Indonesia, Jakarta by several people who joined several organizations. On July 6, 2014 at Sahid Ciputat State Islamic University there was also a declaration supporting ISIS and ba'iat to Abu Bakar Al Baghdadi, the international ISIS leader. In 2015 declared a name Jama'ah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) as the main umbrella of ISIS supporters and suppliers of Indonesian citizens who leave for Syria.JAD is a term or a reference to the group that supports ISIS, while JAD is the first advocate of JAD, the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) led by Santoso / Abu Wardah known as the ideology, recruitment and regeneration group based in Poso and Bima (NTB). Second, the Mujahideen of West Indonesia (MIB), formed at the end of 2012 and led by Abu Roban. MIB has an ideology to unite jihadist groups throughout Indonesia in order to enforce Islamic law and make Indonesia an Islamic state. MIB has strong links with other groups such as the East Indonesia Mujahidin led by Santoso. MIB is known as a group in charge of raising funds for their efforts to uphold the Islamic state in Indonesia.Third, Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) or Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT) led by Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. When Abu Bakar Ba'asyir bai'at to Abu Bakar Al Baghdadi then some members of JAT refused to join JAD. Some established a new organization called Jamaah Ansharut Syariah (JAS) led by Abdurahim Ba'asyir. The split at JAT is very strong, and they hate Aman Abdurahman who is regarded as the one who influenced Abu Bakar Ba'asyir to join and bai'at to ISIS.Fourth, Al Muhajirun is affiliated with Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia. Although HTI has denied that at least Al Muhajirun members are former HTI members, there are 2 people whom I consider to have traces with HTI, ie Bahrun Naim had been a member of HTI in UNS - is still in Syria and a mastermind of bombing in Thamrin and Kampung Melayu, and Muhamad Fahri was a member of HTI at Jember University, who was arrested by Densus 88 for dispatching 16 Indonesians to Syria.

The Global ISIS

Once Saddam Hussein fell in April 2003, Al-Zarqawi, previously based in Herat, western Afghanistan soon moved to northern Iraq inhabited by a Sunni majority. Iraq becomes a new jihad field. They aimed at expelling American troops from Iraq, establishing khilafah, expanding conflicts to neighboring countries, and engaging in Arab-Israeli conflict. In June 2005, Al-Zarqawi formed the umbrella organization of Mujahideen Shura Council (MSC) aimed at uniting Sunni resistance. However, this effort failed because the united Jamaah Wal Jihad committed reckless acts of violence against civilians, and applied strict Islamic law in the territories of his moderate Sunni community.After Al-Zarqawi was killed in 2005, his position was replaced by Abu Ayyub Al-Masri. In mid-October 2006, Al-Masri declared Daula Islam fi Iraq or Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). This is an important event when an Al-Qaeda element declares the formation of a state. In 2007, the strength of the ISI or Al-Qaeda of Iraq (AQI) was largely composed of foreign volunteers. About 2,000 people are from Syria and about 250 other people from the northern region of Chechen - they call themselves the Jaash Muhajirin wal Anshar (AJA), led by Abu Umar Al-Shishani.After declaring Daula Islam fi Iraq, on April 19, 2007 they announced the formation of a government led by Abu Umar al-Baghdadi, with 10 cabinet members. Earlier, Abu Umar Al-Baghdadi was the deputy commander of al-Qaeda, then served as commander. In April 2010, after Abu Ayub al-Misri and Abu Umar al-Baghdadi were killed in Tikrit, Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi took command. In April 2013, Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi declared the expansion of the ISI to become Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (Islamiyah Fi al-Iraq wa Sham (ISIL). The Levant is another name for Sham, a mixture of Syrians and Lebanese as well as the Palestinians - whom we are familiar with as ISIS. This declaration as well as the statement of merging Jabhah al-Nusrah as part of ISIL.However, as the mission veers from mission struggle by creating sectarian war in Iraq and Syria and the use of violent acts, Jabhah al-Nusrah / al-Qaedah Syria no longer recognizes ISIS as part of it. Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi even vowed to lead the conquest of Rome, and called on Muslims to submit to him. Around 500 billion dinars or equivalent to Rp 5 trillion disappeared from Iraq's Central Bank Mosul branch when ISIS seized the northern city.Aiman ​​Al-Zawahiri, Al-Qaeda's supreme leader Osama bin Laden, says al-Qaeda has no connection with ISIS. While ISIS is developing rapidly in 2014. Even so, the differences between Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi and Al-Zawahiri should not be misinterpreted as a signal that ISIS does not recognize Al-Qaeda's ideology. Basically ISIS still adheres to Al-Qaeda ideology, so ISIS is more worth mentioning as Al-Qaeda splinter group. And, despite the tactical differences about the stages of struggle and substantive differences regarding personal leadership, Al Qaeda and ISIS pursue the same strategic goals.Al-Baghdadi's announcement of a "Caliphate" on June 29, 2014 and a public address on 4 July 2014 indicates ISIS's move to take territorial gains. Using the diction "Caliph", ISIS intends to exploit the religious, historical, and ideological connotations of a word, in order to impress the resurrection of the caliphal government in the early years of Islam.This is in line with Osama bin Laden's assertion that the final stage of Al-Qaeda's terror campaign is the establishment of a political structure to correct misunderstandings about religion. Such propaganda techniques are designed to encourage international volunteers to join the movement.