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ISIL supporters should lose citizenship, says minister
Law and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin concurred with the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) that Indonesians who join and fight with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) should be stripped of citizenship
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aw and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin concurred with the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) that Indonesians who join and fight with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) should be stripped of citizenship.
"We have discussed this with BNPT and we are in full support," he told tempo.co on Saturday.
Amir said that the removal of citizenship was justified by law. However, he said the ministry and the BNPT were still identifying the appropriate mechanism as such a move has never been attempted.
In previous cases, Indonesians who joined militant or terrorist groups enjoyed dual citizenship from countries such as Malaysia and Singapore, he said.
"After speaking with the Indonesian embassies, they have confirmed that in previous cases [of Indonesians joining jihadi groups fighting in other countries] people had citizenship in the country they were living in," Amir said, adding that the ministry had only removed citizenship following the confirmed adoption of a different citizenship.
Previously, a video video circulating on the Internet depicted what appeared to be Indonesian nationals encouraging others to join ISIL.
The BNPT estimates that at least 30 Indonesians have joined the ISIL jihadist group in Iraq and Syria as members of Jabhat al-Nusra (JN), a prominent Salafi jihadist organization with links to al-Qaeda. (fss)
