C

entral Java province has become the main target for recruiting activists of the Islamic State of Indonesia (NII), as the province — with its 33 million people — is the greatest financial contributor to NII activities.

The remarks were disclosed by Ken Setiawan, an ex-NII activist in his speech at seminar on “Strengthening Religious Values and Pancasila State Ideology” in Cilacap, Central Java, on Friday.

“Therefore whoever is concerned with the unity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and the upholding of religious harmony must keep a keen eye on NII activities,” Ken said.

Despite being banned, their activities were still ongoing, Ken said. “NII activities must be closely watched as the ideology it follows is hard-line Islam. Educated people are their targets,” he said, urging schools and universities to be on alert. NII activists had penetrated campuses through religious activities, he added.

The director of Central Java Police’s general crime unit, Insp. Gen. Bambang Rudi Pratikno, said that 17 universities in the province had been targeted for recruitment.

Rectors, lecturers and all academic communities were called upon to join forces to remove any NII influences.

The NII has changed its name to the Building Indonesia Community (MIM).

Bambang did not give details on the names of the universities targeted, but said that the cities on their list were Solo, Semarang and Banyumas.

He said that even though the NII’s movement had faded away it did not mean it had disappeared just because it now focused mainly on fund collection.

“It used to be a force, but now it chooses to use economic and cultural approaches,” he added.

The NII movement raise millions of rupiah per day in donations in Ungaran, Central Java, according to the police.

“They collect an average of Rp 15 million (US$1,573) per day for the NII’s cause,” National Police deputy spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said in May 2011.

Six alleged NII members were arrested in Ungaran early last year and charged with subversion.

The police found at least nine bank accounts in the name of one of the suspects, including one account with a balance of more than Rp 350 million.

Yayan Rusyawan, former head of Cilacap community development office, explained on Friday that the NII movement in Cilacap had been operating for the last five years.

“The NII has thus far reached
70 percent of the Cilacap area. It deals only with those who report their cases to the authorities,” Yayan said.

Faozan Amar, another speaker at the seminar, said that the NII constituted religious radicalism in Indonesia, and reflected the inability of certain Islamic groups to cope with a pluralistic society.