inp.polri.go.id – Counter-Terrorism Special Detachment (Densus) 88 of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) claimed to have found dozens of children under the age of 13 joining the Indonesian Islamic State (NII) group. It was reported that they had already taken an oath of allegiance.
“We found 77 children under the age of 13 have been brainwashed and took an oath to the NII,” The Head of the Public Information Bureau (Karo Penmas) of the National Police (Polri) Public Relations Division (Divisi Humas), Brigadier General Dr. Ahmad Ramadhan, S.H., M.H., M.Sc., on Tuesday (12/4/2022).
Karo Penmas explained that 126 adults were recruited by NII when they were in their teens. He also said that Polri is currently coordinating with the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) to be able to develop the case.
The One-Star General explained that NII is a group that has a neat and systematic organizational structure. According to him, to join this group, you have to go through four stages of recruitment, known as “pencorakan”.
“In addition, every prospective member must go through three stages of allegiance,” he said.
According to the police, NII has a big threat of terror. For example, they have a desire to change the ideology of Pancasila with another ideology. In addition, he said, this network is directly related to terrorist groups in Jakarta, West Java, and Bali.
“From their series of plans, there was an attempt of a terror attack which was contained in the form of an order. They would prepare sharp weapons called machetes and look for blacksmiths,” he explained further.
NII’s plan is in line with the findings of several pieces of evidence after being secured by the police. He said that Densus has confiscated sharp weapons such as one karambit knife, one machete blade, two bayonet blades, an ax blade, and a cutter knife.
“The NII network is already massive in Indonesia. They have already spread in Jakarta, Tangerang, West Java, Bali, Sulawesi, Maluku, and West Sumatra,” he concluded.
