With the capture of suspected Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leaders, Abu Dujana and Zarkarsih in June 2007, and overall head, Nurjaman Riduan Ismuddin in 2003, Indonesian authorities achieved significant blows against the JI terrorist organization, and weakened its ability to maintain a viable offensive. Coupled with a steady annual decrease in overall militant activity since 2002, JI appears to be in decline.
While Jemaah Islamiyah is not necessarily in its death throws, a succession of effective security operations lead by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states has led to a substantial decrease in the organization’s terrorist capabilities in the region. To that end, further debilitation of JI as a result of ASEAN and Indonesian efforts will continue.
Jemaah Islamiyah: Background
Jemaah Islamiyah came into prominence in Southeast Asia following a series of nightclub bombings in the tourist city of Bali on October 12, 2002 that resulted in the deaths of 202 people . Although the terrorist group has operated in the region since 1993, JI did not build the necessary network and funding to initiate significant attacks until 2000.
Founded by Abu Bakar Bashir and Abdullah Sungkar, JI became a terrorist refuge in Malaysia for Muslim Indonesians fleeing persecution under the Suharto regime. The group continues to operate under the same goals by which it was founded: the establishment of an Islamic state comprising Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and the southern Philippines.
Prior to 2000, Indonesian authorities believe JI’s leadership made contact with Osama bin Laden and formalized a relationship that would later fund the majority of JI’s successful operations including bombings, assassinations, and training exchanges in Afghanistan. The organization’s primary tool for terror continues to be explosives, with an al-Qaeda-like fixation on the spectacular in terms of targets, attack dates, and mass casualties.
Implications in the Apprehensions of Abu Dujana and Zarkarsih
Following the capture of Abu Dujana on June 9, 2007, Indonesian authorities later revealed that another JI leader, Zarkarsih, had been captured during the same raid that netted Dujana. Both men are confirmed cadres operating in the upper echelons of JI leadership. Dunjana has purportedly confessed to his role as the organization’s militant or special operations head, while Zarkarsih is rumored to be the Emir (Prince), or institutional head.
The growing number of high-profile JI losses highlights the organization’s overall decline. Although like-minded individuals are expected to quickly fill the power vacuum, successive losses in experienced leadership will significantly affect the success of future operations. ASEAN partners, backed with funding and equipment from the United States and European Union, will continue to amplify the region’s radical security overhaul.
The Way Forward
As a whole, Jemaah Islamiyah is expected to decrease large-scale operations in the near-term. The individuals who fill positions vacated by Abu Dujana and Zarkarsih and others who have been killed or apprehended over recent years will determine the group’s long-term effectiveness.
Most importantly, JI should still be regarded as a capable terrorist threat in Southeast Asia with deep roots and strong ties with other terrorist organizations, especially al-Qaeda. As such, although ASEAN continues to make positive gains against the Jemaah Islamiyah terror threat, its ultimate dismantling remains a long-term goal.
