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West Nusa Tenggara monitors movements of seven 'radical' groups
West Nusa Tenggara's Domestic Politics and National Unity Agency says it has been continuously monitoring the movements of seven radical religious groups in the province.
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The former leader of the Al Qaeda-linked Jamaah Islamiyah Imron Baihaqi, who is also known by his militant name "Abu Tholut", talks with friends at a streetside cafe in Jakarta on June 2, 2016. Indonesia has been struggling in its efforts to de-radicalize militants in prison, partly because the Islamic State group inspires them to hold to extremism. (AP/Achmad Ibrahim)
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est Nusa Tenggara's Domestic Politics and National Unity Agency says it has been continuously monitoring the movements of seven religious groups it called "hard-line" in the province.
The agency’s head, Lalu Syafi'I, said the seven groups were Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI), Jamaah Anshorut Syariah (JAS), Jamaah Anshorut Tauhid (JAT), Tauhid Wal Jihad (TWJ), Khilafatul Muslimin (KM), Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) and Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).
“We continue monitoring the movements of these hard-line groups so that their existence will not cause conflicts in the community,” Lalu told a press briefing held at the gubernatorial office in Mataram on Thursday.
He said these groups still intensively worked toward and indoctrinated people in jihad, calling for the upholding of sharia and for the implementation of the caliphate system.
They as well continued developing mass bases and membership both through religious gatherings and through Islamic boarding schools, the office said.
However, he said, his agency had no authority to ban their activities as the groups were officially registered as organizations with legal standing.
“As other religious organizations, their existence is guaranteed by the state. We cannot ban people from religious gatherings. As long as their activities are not deviant, not disturbing other groups and not causing conflicts, there is no problem,” Lalu said. (yun/evi)
