Life After Prison: The Story of Former Convicted Terrorist Who Grows Tropical Plants in Indonesia’s Aceh

KOMPAS.com - Former convicted terrorist Mukhtar, who is also known as Tengku Tar bin Ibrahim, 36, of north Aceh, on the western tip of Indonesia, has restarted his life after being released from prison. He is a farmer who owns 8,000 square meters of farmland.

The former Al Qaeda regional commander in Pasee was involved in the shooting of the German Red Cross chairman and the throwing of smoke grenade at the office of United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Aceh in 2009. He was also involved in the shooting of the houses of two Syiah Kuala University lecturers in Banda Aceh.

He was once a member of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the Pasee region and was the commander of the now-defunct hardline group Islam Defender Front (FPI) in Aceh.

Also read: Indonesia Arrests 12 Terrorist Suspects Planning Attacks

Following the terror attacks, Mukthar was arrested on March 16, 2010, in Lhokseumawe.

Cultivating tropical plants

Things have changed now. Mukhtar is currently living in Blang Cruem village in Lhokseumawe. He cultivates 900 Australian papaya trees, watermelons, and Amorphophallus muelleri Blumetropical plants, or locally known as Porang, that is popular and valuable export product.

What he has done so far is well-received by his surroundings, including a military commander in the area.

Also read: Indonesian Police Launch Crackdown on JAD Terrorist Organization

“Hats off to our brother. He is a hardworking man who runs the agricultural business in the last few months,” said 011/Lilawangsa Military Regional Command (Danrem) commander Colonel (Inf) Sumirating Baskoro who visited Mukhtar recently.

As support to help Mukthar adjusting life after prison, Sumirating donated some agricultural equipment to cultivate various types of seasonal crops. The military commander said that Mukhtar grows 900 papaya trees, which bring him income by harvesting twice a week.

(Writer: Iwan Bahagia | Editor: Farid Assifa, Rachmawati)

Source: https://regional.kompas.com/read/2021/04/20/073700278/cerita-mukhtar-mantan-teroris-yang-kini-jadi-petani-tanam-porang-dan-900.