34 Convicted Terrorists Take Oath of Allegiance to Indonesia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - A total of 34 convicted terrorists took the oath of allegiance to Indonesia at the Gunung Sindur Detention Center in Bogor, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Thursday, April 15.

Head of West Java’s Law and Human Rights Ministry Regional Office, Sudjonggo, said the oath-taking showed that they gave the country their undivided loyalty. 

"This oath-taking is a form of guidance to defend the country," said Sudjonggo in a written statement received by Kompas.com, Thursday.

Sudjonggo said the move was part of the deradicalization programs to ignite enthusiasm and to reiterate a willingness to stand up for the nation. 

Also read: Indonesia Arrests 12 Terrorist Suspects Planning Attacks

Besides, the oath recitation is one of the requirements for the convicted terrorists to apply for parole later and other programs. 

"The implementation of oath-taking ceremony at the Gunung Sindur Prison is carried out gradually and continuously," said Sudjonggo.

Following the oath recitation, Sudjonggo said, both individuals and groups must be willing to leave terrorism. He also said that the pledge of allegiance was not a condition for receiving leniency.

He said that convicts who have pledged their allegiance are expected to become agents who help the government to enlighten the people around them to hinder the process of spreading radicalism in society.

Also read: Indonesian Police Launch Crackdown on JAD Terrorist Organization

"Hopefully this will be the beginning to pave the way for the convicts to return to society. We hope that the public can accept the return of the terrorism convicts,” said Sudjonggo.

The ceremony began with the oath reading, signing, and kissing the national flag.

Also in attendance were representatives of the Indonesian anti-terror police from Detachment 88 (Densus 88), the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), and the local police.

Sudjonggo emphasized that the pledge of allegiance to the country was carried out by the convicts consciously and without coercion. Prisons and related institutions, he said, did not force those who are still reluctant to do so.

Of the total 56 convicted terrorists at the Gunung Sindur Prison, 22 others have not pledged allegiance to the country.

All convicts who took the oath came from various terrorist networks in Indonesia, such as Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), and Islamic State supporters. They served a sentence at the Gunung Sindur Prison with various prison terms.

(Writer: Irfan Kamil | Editor : Dani Prabowo)

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/04/15/14073511/34-napi-terorisme-dari-jad-hingga-simpatisan-isis-ucapkan-ikrar-setia-kepada