Indonesian militant group’s plot to ‘overthrow’ Jokowi may be far-fetched, but officials warn NII could be ‘launching pad’ for terror

Discovery of a plot to overthrow the government by the Islamic State of Indonesia (NII), came during ‘interrogation’ of suspects and seized documents

Analysts doubt NII’s ability to overthrow the government, but warned if left unchecked, the group could become ‘massive’ and ‘launching pad’ for terror

4-MIN READ4-MIN

Members of a police bomb squad inspect the wreckage of a motorbike used to carry out Sunday’s suicide bomb attack at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia in March. Photo: AP

Published: 6:00pm, 24 Apr 2022Updated: 6:46pm, 24 Apr 2022

An Indonesian Islamic militant group, which once fought an armed insurgency against Jakarta, is believed to be plotting to overthrow the government before the 2024 General elections, say counterterrorism police.

The Islamic State of Indonesia (NII), founded more than seven decades ago, is “recruiting, undergoing para military training and procuring weapons,” Aswin Siregar, head of operations of Detachment 88 (Densus88), the counterterrorism squad of Indonesia’s national police, told This Week in Asia.

“The next stage will be war. The details are being further investigated by investigators,” said Siregar. He said the discovery of the plot came about during “interrogation of NII suspects,” and documents seized during their arrests. He gave no further details.

Police arrested 16 NII members in West Sumatra last month.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo gestures during an interview in October 2021. Photo: Reuters

While analysts and a former militant doubt NII’s ability to overthrow the government, they warned that if left unchecked, the group could become “massive” and enable it to realise its goal of toppling the democratic government of President Joko Widodo and replacing it with an Islamic Caliphate.