Terrorism is back in business

The Jakarta Post analyses Terrorism back in business and aftermath of the Ritz hotel bombings. The Indonesian society has been shaken up.

Bantarto Bandoro , Jakarta

Wed, 07/22/2009 3:51 PM

Opinion

The relatively quiet Friday morning broke off when the bombings, little more than a week after the country's peaceful presidential election, devastated the lobby restaurants at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels, signaling the return of terrorism to the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation after four years without a major attack. The bombings brought swift condemnation from world leaders and the United Nations.

The attack is another reminder to us and the region as a whole that peace, security and order are part of a continuing process. It acquires international dimensions in which Indonesia needs to cooperate with other countries in combating terrorism.

It is certainly not anything that should be politicized. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was heavily criticized by his rivals when he suggested a possible link between the bombings and the election that is expected to hand him another five-year term as president.

The bombings have not been claimed yet by any group, nor is the motive known. Friday's blasts may or may not be an indicator of renewed militant strength. But because suspicion of responsibility for the attacks, as well as for past attacks in Indonesia, has already fallen on the Southeast Asian Islamist militant group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), officials here needed to brace for that possibility.

The bombings undermined the security of the entire nation and raise doubt as to whether the government is going all out to protect its people from terrorist attacks.

Theoretically, the operation was a success, as one that two of the most secure hotels in Jakarta was penetrated by terrorists, who even set up an "operation room" in one of the hotels, and bombs set off at about the same time.

With the arrest by the government of hundreds of alleged JI members in the past five years, many are now questioning the capacity, operation and networking of JI members. But the recent attacks on the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels proves they still have a quite lethal capacity to carry out deadly and elaborate operations.

The country has experienced four major terrorist attacks this decade: the Bali bombings in 2002 and 2005; the August 2003 bombing of the Marriott in Jakarta; and a September 2004 bombing outside the Australian Embassy.

No one can tell what goes on in the minds of terrorists. The fact that Jakarta has again become the target of terrorist attacks simply reflects that terrorists, whoever they are, are around us.

The bombing exposed Indonesia's weakness in its intelligence networking and highlights the fact that, in spite of the massive counterterrorism measures taken over the last several years, the country is still seen as the region's weakest link in the fight against terror. Speedy and more coordinated measures against the perpetrators must therefore immediately be taken by the government if it is to maintain public confidence and an international image. Terrorism is a common threat to humankind and therefore must be countered by a common strategy, embracing all types of measures and all countries.

The most important lesson learned from the recent terrorist attacks is that they revived international perceptions of Indonesia as a very unsafe country. Travel warnings have already been applied by countries whose nationals were the victims of the bombings.

The attacks are more than just a problem of security and terrorism. Unless the next government of Yudhoyono can successfully address such an imminent and real threat of terror, confidence in Indonesia's business and investment environment will certainly fade away.

The recent attacks teach us that a massive campaign against terror must continue at all levels. But its sustainability will most likely depend on how the next government reacts to new challenges ahead and the way the public responds to future government policy on terrorism. Terrorism may spread to other parts of the country, even when the new government has adopted a new counterterrorism policy.

We will be observing whether the real progress in our democracy will lead to an effective strategy in containing terrorist activities. Terrorism is already back in business, and the danger it poses is something none of us can underestimate any longer.

The writer is a researcher with the Indonesian Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and a lecturer of international relations at the University of Indonesia.