T

he Riau Island Police have ordered its deradicalization task force to follow up on reports that a former official at Batam’s one-stop integrated service (PTSP) who joined the Islamic State (IS) movement in Syria would soon be deported back to Indonesia.

Riau Island Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Saptono Erlangga said he had been informed that former Batam PTSP director Dwi Djoko Wiwoho and his family were now sheltered in a refugee camp in Syria.

“If they are returning to Batam, the deradicalization task force of the Batam Police is set to monitor the family,” he said.

In November 2015, the police announced that Dwi had joined IS after failing to return to work.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Anton Charliyan said that the PTSP director had been scheduled to return from leave on Sept. 1, but instead sent a message to his boss asking him to inform his parents that he had joined IS.

“His message was clear. [He said] he would join the jihad and go on a journey. That could only mean that he did go there,” Anton said as quoted by Antara news agency.

He said that Dwi had applied for a visa to visit the Netherlands. However, he did not pick up the visa prior to departing the country.

The police said they had found indications that Dwi and his wife had gone to Iraq via Istanbul, Turkey, to join the hard-line group.