BNPT forces local communities to repel terrorism

An official with the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) said that the agency’s affirmative action toward terrorists would only bring short-term benefit and could only scratch the surface of religious radicalism.

“According to the Densus 88 counterterrorism unit , as many as 25 out of 300 terrorist convicts who have been released have been gone back to the old game,” BNPT’s deputy chief on de-radicalization Maj. Gen. Agus Surya Bakti said on Tuesday.

The Densus 88 counterterrorism unit apprehended 810 people linked to terrorism from 2000 to 2012.

Agus said to prevent terrorist action, serious and systematic preventive action should be considered. To do so, he went on, local communities should be involved.

He said the BNPT had encouraged the formation of the Counterterrorism Coordinating Forum (FKPT) for South Sulawesi in Makassar as part of the attempt to detect and prevent radicalism.

“The country should realize that combating terrorist isn’t only the government’s duty. All of us must detect and prevent terrorism,” he said.

BNPT has formed 18 FKPT in various regions and plans another four this year.(dic)

Sumber: the Jakarta post