Countering terrorism in Indonesia: a study of policy in counter-terrorism measures of the Indonesia National Counter-terrorism Agency (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme/BNPT)

Terrorism is a global issue that has become the top concern amongst nation-states. Although the case of terrorist attacks not only occurred in the modern-day, after 9/11, this issue has risen as one of the most urgent security issues. Radical Islamic groups or Islamists groups such as Al Qaeda, ISIS, and local groups such as Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines, Jama’ah Islamiyyah (JI), and Jama’ah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) in Indonesia also play vital roles in the increasing number of terrorist attacks since 9/11. Indonesia is the home of the most populous Muslim globally, and it has been battling terrorist issues since its independence year in 1945. The Bali bombing I in 2002, the Bali bombing II in 2005, and other attacks perpetrated by JI in Indonesia have propelled the Indonesian government to establish the National Counter-terrorism Agency, known as BNPT, in 2010. This research focuses on the roles of BNPT in countering terrorism in Indonesia, primarily through its main programs, namely Deradicalization and Counter-radicalization. In this research, the researcher outlined three main goals; they are the assessment of the Indonesian government's parts on terrorism after the Bali bombing, the counter-terrorism strategies adopted by the government after the Bali bombing, and the relevance of the Indonesian Counter- terrorism Agency (BNPT) in Indonesian counter-terrorism policy, including the effectiveness of its main programs in counter-terrorism strategies. The findings of this research are on the formulation of BNTPT as the agency to handle terrorism more thoroughly, the programs of BNPT in counter-terrorism matter, including the way BNPT reach out to the young generation by creating Duta Damai programs and websites in thirteen provinces in Indonesia, educate the Millennials about the danger of hoaxes and hate speeches online, strengthening the internalization of Pancasila as the nation's ideology, they are all part of BNPT Counter- radicalization program. In discussing the Deradicalization program, this research highlights that there are thirty-six ministries and institutions in the counter-terrorism framework coordinated together to ensure that BNPT can run effectively. However, there is the problem of returning foreign terrorist fighters (FTF), especially 689 Indonesians who have already pledged an alliance to ISIS, often burning their passports. Today, they are stranded in third countries andare waiting to get facilitated to return to Indonesia. The Indonesian authorities refused to return them to Indonesia out of concern that they would create security problems.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical reference