Jakarta, Dec 22 (ANTARA) - Unlike previously, everyone, including domestic and foreign tourists, can in the new year feel secure in visiting shopping centers, tourist resorts or staying in luxury hotels in various parts of Indonesia.
Terrorists are unlikely to launch attacks and would rather keep silent at least for several years after their top leaders and other operatives were eliminated by the Indonesian Police's Detachment-88 Anti-Terror Unit. So, 2010 is likely be a year free from terror attacks.
"Terrorist activity in Indonesia is expected to decline for several years after the recent elimination of top terror mastermind Noordin M Top and a number of his lieutenants," former chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Syamsir Siregar said recently.
The crack-down on and killing of several terrorist leaders this year will prompt existing terrorist cells and groups to hide.
Malaysia's top terrorist Dr Azhari was killed in a police raid in Kota Batu, East Java in 2005 while his top aide Malaysia's Noordin M Top was slain in Solo, Central Java, a few months ago. In the meantime, Noordin's successor, Syaifudin Zuhri, was also shot dead in Ciputat, Tangerang, near Jakarta last October.
While toop terrorists Amrozi, Muklas and Imam Samudra have been executed.
These terrorists were responsible for a series of terror attacks on certain targets in various parts of the country such as the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels and other targets, including those in the first and second Bali bombings in 2002 that killed hundreds of people.
The anti-terror unit of the National Police Headquarters had arrested 466 terror suspects since the Bali bombing incident in 2002. A total of 14 of the number were killed because they resisted arrest when police located them.
Although the notorious terror criminals have been eliminated, cautioun must continue to be exercised. The ideology that justifies violence to achieve a goal still exists. Thus, the people need to remain alert to the threat of terrorism.
Siregar warned that the quiet situation of the terrorist groups must be anticipated because this time it was a break for them to consolidate and build the strength of their organization to launch attacks in the future.
"So, we have to remain alert although they have temporarily stopped their activities," he said.
On how long they would stay quiet, Syamsir Siregar said it could be up to four to five years. "This will depend on the map of their strength. So, we should remain alert because terror acts are almost impossible to predict although indicators of their plans can be detected," he said.
According to Chief of the Detachment-88 Anti-Terror Unit Senior Commissioner Tito Karnavian, the terrorist ideology which allows violence to achieve its goals would continue to develop in 2010.
He said the threat of terrorist attacks had admittedly been reduced since the killing of Noordin M Top and his lieutenants but it did not mean that the terrorism problem was over. This is because thier ideology still exists among the people.
This ideology could gain further support and strength both at home and abroad. Local conflict with religious nuance such an in Poso and Ambon could serve as a factor from inside the country. "If a goup of Muslims felt it was oppressed, it would create an impetus to the revival of this ideology," Tito Karnavian said.
In the meantime, factors that could cause the revival of terrorism ideology in the country included the conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Irak.
In an effort to handle terrorism, the Central Board of Nahdatul Ulama (PBNU/the country's largest Muslim organization), suggested last month the establishment of a National Anti-Terrorism Board.
PBNU Chairman Masykuri Abdillah said the board should be formed like the National Anti-Narcotics Agency (BNN) which seriously plays an active role in the fight against narcotics, Masykuri Abdillah said the National Anti-Terrorism Board was necessary to be formed to fight against terrorism.
He said the anti-terror desk at Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs had weak position and therefore it could not play its role optimally.. "It is better for the anti-terror desk to be improved as national anti-terror board like the National Anti-Narcotics Agency, because both narcotics and terrorism posed similar danger and threat," said Masykuri, the professor of Jakarta Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN Syarif Hidayatullah).
The national anti-terror board should be made up of various public elements including the military and police personnel and religious figures because terrorism in Indonesia was carried out in the name of religion.
Through the board, various efforts to manage terrorism in the country could be well coordinated, because the threat of terrorism at present has become a common concern in the community.
PBNU as part of civil society has done a lot to prevent terrorism through education program, poverty eradication, and interfaith dialogs, Masykuri said.
But he added that if the government was less optimal in dealing with economic imbalance, injustice, and other political participation, then the threat of terrorism would remain a serious problem in the country.
Adrinus Meliala, a noted criminologist from state University of Indonesia, expressed support if the government wants to form a national anti-terrorism body to synergize terrorism handling in Indonesia. "This is big progress. However, it is still being considered whether it will be formed into a committee or a division at a preventive level. So far the concept of strategy is still unclear," Adrianus Meliala said.
Adrianus said the body would function more like an intelligence analyst specializing on terrorism. It also involves analysis, intelligence and combat but will not only be a special detachment but it also has a military unit with special characteristics, he said.
"Like in the air force we have 'Paskhas' (special unit), in the navy, the marines unit, and in the army 'Kopassus'. So it is hoped its movement will be more harmonious," he said.
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