Leaders of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the Southeast Asian rebel group blamed for the deadly Bali attacks, have announced the disbandment of the group, according to a report released today by the agency. think tank based in Jakarta.
A report by the Institute for Conflict Policy Analysis (IPAC) confirmed the authenticity of the June 30 video statement from 16 JI leaders announcing that they were dismantling the network. In the statement, photographed and shared online, the leaders confirmed their belief in the Indonesian state and the law, and said that everything taught in JI schools will be in line with Islam.
It is too early to say what the outcome will be, but the men who signed the declaration have enough respect and trust within the organization to ensure widespread acceptance, Sidney Jones, author of First IPAC said. Al-Qaeda affiliates are accused of orchestrating some of Indonesia’s deadliest attacks, including the 2002 Bali nightclub bombing that killed more than 200 people.
Indonesia’s National Bureau of Counter-Terrorism (BNPT) declined to comment on the development, but said it plans to hold a press conference soon.
The decision to disband the organization, Jones said, was likely due to a number of reasons, including the influence of intellectuals within JI who were less interested in violent jihad, as well as an analysis of the benefits for how best to protect an organization’s greatest asset – its school. .
Strong cooperation with counter-terrorism forces has also helped, the report said. Despite the impact of the number of victims, IPAC said that the group has a history of division and that it is possible that there may be a group in the future, although not immediately.
Meanwhile, the result will be the success of the JI-related schools and the growing participation in the public life of the men who signed the June 30 statement, IPAC said. It remains to be seen what will happen to the other teams.
