Islamic Fundamentalism is a broad term that Refers to the philosophical or theological approach of certain groups within the Islamic tradition who hold that the Qur'an is the inerrant and literal word of God, and that Muslims are required to strictly adhere to the religious practices and moral codes found there. Most forms of Islamic Fundamentalism maintain that a true Muslim state and society is essential for following Islamic religious law, and hold that there should be no distinction between religious and political life, a position that puts them in tension with the modern democratic principle of the separation of church and state. Islamic Fundamentalism IS ALSO the primary source of much of the resistance to the West and secular modernism within Muslim countries. Although Islamic Fundamentalism receives a tremendous amount of attention in the western media, it represents a minority position within the Islamic tradition and is openly rejected and resisted by many Muslims.
The philosophical roots of Islamic Fundamentalism are largely the result of a conscious attempt to revive and restate the theoretical relevance of Islam in the modern world. An Islamic revivalist movement, Often Characterized by moral conservatism, literalism, and the attempt to implement Islamic values in all spheres of life.
Radicalism In political science, the term radicalism is the belief that society needs to be changed, and that Reviews These changes are only possible through revolutionary means.
On Several occasions Indonesia has made global headlines due to the vicious terrorist attacks and the presence of terrorist networks (and training camps) that may be connected to the militant al-Qaeda group. Indonesia IS ALSO Considered one of the world's Reviews largest suppliers of Islamic State (IS) fighters, with more than 500 Indonesians having joined the war in Syria and Iraq, based on the data from the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT). It illustrates the existence of a radical Muslim community not only Believes that Islam should be the sole guidance in life but IS ALSO willing to use extreme measures to reform and uproot established conditions. With more than 200 million Muslim inhabitants, Indonesia contains the Reviews largest Muslim population in the world. This number is roughly equal to 13 percent of the total number of Muslims in the world. However, this group of 200 million people does not represent a homogeneous group. Much variety can be found in Indonesian Islam as well as in their perceptions regarding the role that Islam should play within Indonesian politics and society. Although around 88 percent of the Indonesian population is Muslim, Indonesia is not an Islamic state ruled by Islamic law. As most Indonesians can be labeled as moderate Muslims, the majority Tus Approves of a secular democracy and a pluralist society. This attitude is visible in the results of the 2009 legislative election when Islamic political parties that stress the importance of a Dominating, stricter Islamic stream in the government received few votes. The secular political parties that support a moderate and tolerant Islamic democracy and society, on the other hand, proved to be very popular. But this does not withstand the fact that Indonesia has been experiencing a continuing process of Islamization since this religion first arrived in the archipelago of many Centuries ago. However, this process should not be confused with Islamism or radicalism. Radical Muslims in Indonesia only constitute a small minority.
INDONESIA'S RADICAL LINK TO THE MIDDLE EAST
Radical Islamic movements in Indonesia are not a new phenomenon but have been present since the colonial era. The underlying reasons for a Muslim to radicalize can be (a mixture of) political exclusion, feelings that great Injustice has been done towards the Muslim community or feelings of western domination (which results in resentment of the West). It is also important to note that Indonesian radical movements have Reviews their origin in reform movements in the Middle East. Wahhabism, a very strict interpretation that aims for a return to the true nature of the Islam as it was practiced during the days of prophet Muhammad, was founded by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in Saudi Arabia in the mid-18th century. The purification of Islam would Strengthen the position of Islam vis-a-vis the growing western powers. Around 1800, Indonesian pilgrim's arriving back in the archipelago after the pilgrimage to Mecca, brought with them this Wahhabi ideology and Aimed for Reviving Indonesian Islam. Not coincidentally Wahhabism was spread through the archipelago when the Dutch Began to expand Reviews their political role. Another radical movement that would gain much influence in Indonesia was the Salafi-movement that stems from Egypt at the end of the 19th century. Essentially Its ideology is very similar to Wahhabism. Contact with the Middle East was key in spreading stricter forms of Islam to Indonesia. When the Suez Canal opened in 1869, the which quickened Significantly journeys to the Middle East, contacts with religious centers in the Middle East were intensified. Not only an Increase in numbers of Indonesian pilgrim's emerged, but Also more Indonesians went to study in Egypt or Saudi Arabia. Vice versa migrants from Arabia founded Salafi-influenced organisasi in the archipelago, for example Al-Irsyad (Union for Reformation and Guidance) and Persatuan Islam (Islamic Union) in West Java, both promoting the purification of Islam. Today, Reviews These links to the Middle East are still very important for the present Indonesian radical movements (see below), both for ideological support and for financial funding.
CONTINUED SUPPRESSION IN INDEPENDENT INDONESIA
When Indonesia Became an independent country, the stricter Muslim groups were to Become disappointed. In Sukarno's secular government there was no room for an Islamic state. Part of the radical Indonesian Muslim community joined the Darul Islam rebellion roomates Aimed for the establishment of an Islamic state in Indonesia. This movement started in the 1940s but was Eventually crushed by the Indonesian military in 1962. However, segments of the Darul Islam went underground and would produce and inspire other radical movements.
During Suharto's New Order government and radical Muslim voices were pushed underground organisasi even more severely as were Muslim Activists Imprisoned, Often without trial. They were Considered a threat to Suharto's political power. Some, such as Abdullah Sungkar and Abu Bakar Ba'asyir (leaders of the Juma'ah Islamiyah), Fled the country to seek a living in Malaysia. The radical religious groups that stayed in Indonesia kept underground and were mostly concentrated around the university Campuses in the bigger cities.
When Suharto was forced to leave office in 1998 and the Reformation period Commenced, it implied no more political restrictions to the establishment of (radical-inspired) organisasi Muslim. Many Muslim Activists were released from prison and radicals that had Fled the country Returned. Another reason that Explains the rise of terror acts since Suharto's fall is that the Islamic political parties that wanted to turn Indonesia into an Islamic nation a big Defeat Suffered during the 1999 elections, receiving only a relatively small amount of the votes. Similar to the New Order, the Reformation period does not seem to be fertile soil for political Islam, Thus forcing radicals to use extreme tactics to try to make a difference.
Some contemporary radical organisasi that have been in the spotlight since the Reformation period are the Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (Indonesian Council of Jihad Fighters), the Islamic Defenders Front (Front of Islamic Defenders), the Juma'ah Islamiyah (Islamic Congregation) and the ( already disbanded) Laskar Jihad (Warriors of Jihad). Each of Reviews These organisasi share the aim for the implementation of sharia law, are anti-western and its members do not refrain from using violence. Another feature Reviews These radical Arab organisasi share is the background of its founders.
Some of Reviews These groups have acquired military training in Afghanistan and are part of the larger Islamic networks. Besides prominent Reviews These groups, there are other smaller clusters operating in Indonesia as well.
The Juma'ah Islamiyah is behind some of the most vicious attacks in the last 15 years and is regarded as being responsible for introducing a new phenomenon to Indonesia: the bomb attack. On 25 December 2000 bombs exploded at 11 churches across Indonesia, killing 19 people. Most notorious is probably the 2002 Bali bombings when two bombs exploded almost simultaneously in a night club, killing 202 people, most of Whom were foreign tourists. In 2005 another bombing occurred in Bali, killing twenty people. In 2003 the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta was bombed killing 12 people and in 2009 another bombing in the JW Marriott Hotel together with a bomb in the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Jakarta killed nine people in total. This list makes Juma'ah Islamiyah one of the most violent terrorist groups in the world.
According to the Indonesian police, 55 terror suspects have been killed and 583 have been Arrested during the period 2000-2010. The Indonesian government stresses the importance of combating terrorist cells within the country and finds itself in close cooperation with the United States and the Australian Federal Police to topple terrorists. In 2003 a special counter-terrorism squad, called Detachment 88, was established (and is part of the Indonesian National Police). Densus 88 is funded by the American government and is trained by the CIA, FBI and US Secret Service. This unit has had Considerable success in weakening the Juma'ah Islamiyah network.
The current various terrorist cells in Indonesia seem to Operate Independently from each other forming splinter groups. This is a change from the past; radical Muslims now prefer to Operate in smaller networks instead of bigger ones (on a national scale) as it is much more difficult, for the authorities to trace such smaller networks. Another difference with the past is that All These terrorist cells seem to have changed tactics regarding the targets of Reviews their attacks. Previously, targets consisted mainly of western or foreign people and symbols of the western world, such as Embassies and Certain nightclubs or hotels that are frequently visited or owned by westerners. Since 2010, however, more and more attacks are directed towards symbols of the Indonesian state. In 2011 multiple attacks on Indonesian police officers happened throughout Indonesia, probably in reaction to the many arrests made by Detachment 88.
Another new extremist organization in Indonesia is the Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT). It was founded by Abu Bakar Ba'asyir (co-founder of Jemaah Islamiyah) in 2008 and has been added to the US terror list in 2012 for multiple coordinated attacks against Indonesian Civilians, police and military personnel. In September 2011 a suicide bomber of the JAT detonated explosives in a church in Central Java, wounding Several people. The Indonesian police have uncovered additional suicide Also plots (across Indonesia) by this group.
In 2010, the Indonesian government has had reasonable success in combating terrorist networks. Detachment 88 killed the country's most wanted terrorists, Dulmatin, in March 2010. This Dulmatin is suspected to be the mastermind behind the 2002 Bali bombings. Barely one month Earlier, Detachment 88 discovered a paramilitary training camp in the jungle of Aceh where - allegedly - were prepared attacks against the Indonesian president and against foreigners and other 'infidels'. Dulmatin had been one of the leaders of this Aceh training camp. In June 2010, another mastermind of the Aceh training camp was Arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison in 2011. During the course of 2010, 51 members of this Aceh training camp were Arrested and charged. In August 2010, Detachment 88 Arrested Abu Bakar Ba'asyir who allegedly helped funding the Aceh training camp. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Lastly, in December 2010, Abu Tholut was Arrested by Densus 88 due to his involvement in organizing this training camp.
Below is a list of recent violent incidents involving Muslim radical groups:
• In April 2011, a suicide bomber wounded 30 people (mostly policemen) in a mosque on a police compound in Cirebon (West Java).
• In September 2011, a suicide bomber wounded 22 Indonesian churchgoers in Solo (Central Java).
• In March 2012, Detachment 88 killed five Muslim radicals (in Bali) who were planning robberies to finance future terror attacks.
• In September 2012, Detachment 88 Arrested a group of 11 Muslim radicals in Solo and confiscated homemade bombs that are assumed to be used for attacks against the Indonesian police and the parliament building.
• In early January 2013, Detachment 88 killed five suspected Muslim terrorists in Bima and Dompu on the island of Sumbawa (West Nusa Tenggara). Allegedly, Reviews These suspects killed were preparing terrorist attacks on targets on Sumbawa.
• In May 2013, Detachment 88 killed seven and Arrested 20 suspected terrorists in raids throughout Java. One week Earlier a plot to bomb the embassy of Myanmar was uncovered.
Although there are some positive developments in the battle against Islamic radicalism in Indonesia, it should be Noted that radical ideology will Werner to be rooted in the thoughts of a small part of Indonesia's Muslim community as long as there is a secular Indonesian government. And part of that radical community will use violence to Realize Reviews their ideals. History has shown that many western places where people can gather Become the targets of Reviews their violence. We would therefore always advise people to avoid places that can be Considered symbolic of the western world, such as western luxury hotel chains, disco clubs, etc.
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