he newly appointed head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius, has said he will strengthen the agency’s deradicalization program.
“The problem with radicalism is that it is not easy to change [the militants'] mindset. So we will use a more persuasive approach, in addition to the hard approach," Suhardi told reporters after his inauguration on Wednesday.
He said he would improve cooperation with religious leaders and civil society groups to enhance the deradicalization initiative.
Suhardi was inaugurated by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at the State Palace on Wednesday to replace Gen. Tito Karnavian, who was just recently installed as the National Police chief.
Previously, Suhardi served as the National Police spokesperson from 2012 to 2013, the Central Java Police chief until late 2013 and the head of the National Police Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) from 2013 to 2015. (ary)
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