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Indonesia mulls deserting IS supporters
Indonesia, which continues to battle domestic terrorist groups, has faced the dilemma of whether to repatriate citizens affiliated with foreign terrorist movements.
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Leefa (fourth from left) arrives at the Ain Issa camp, 50 kilometres north of Raqa, with other Indonesians after fleeing the Islamic State (IS) group's Syrian bastion on June 13, 2017. When Leefa set out from Indonesia for the Islamic State group's Syrian stronghold of Raqa, she says she thought she was headed to an earthly paradise for the faithful. (AFP/Ayham al-Mohammad )
T
orn between protecting citizens' rights and national security, the government is considering barring Indonesians who traveled to Syria to join terrorist group Islamic State (IS) from returning home.
According to the National Counterterrorism Agency's (BNPT) records, more than 600 Indonesian citizens, most of whom are women and children, currently reside in Syria, with government officials leaning toward not repatriating them.
Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD said returnees from Syria could pose social and security threats.
He said current deradicalization programs often proved unsuccessful at reintegrating former terrorists and terrorist sympathizers back into society.
"When they return to society, they will be ostracized and could become terrorists again. [However] If we don't repatriate them, we are denying their rights as citizens," he said before a Cabinet meeting to discuss the matter at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday.
Indonesia, which continues to battle domestic terrorist groups, has faced the dilemma of whether to repatriate citizens affiliated with foreign terrorist movements.
In a number of cases returnees have gone on to pose security threats at home and abroad.
