Indonesian Police Monitor Radical Movements As HTI Remains A Key Concern

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Feb 14 (Bernama) -- Indonesian authorities remain on high alert over radical activities, including those linked to the banned Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) group, though surveillance efforts are not visible in the public eye.

Public Relations Division head Inspector General Sandi Nugroho stated that law enforcement agencies, in collaboration with other relevant bodies, are vigilantly monitoring potential threats from radical groups nationwide.

“Continuous vigilance is crucial in preparing for any emerging threats,” he said, according to the news portal Kompas.com.

The police are collaborating with religious and community organisations to counter extremist ideologies, with Sandi stressing that promoting religious moderation is a shared responsibility.

In a related development, a former member of HTI has revealed that many individuals continue to advocate for extremist views despite the organisation’s official dissolution in 2017.

Ayik Heriansyah, a former HTI leader from Bangka Belitung, noted that while the group’s legal activities were prohibited, its ideological influence remains intact.

He revealed that members are now operating under different names but continue to promote the caliphate doctrine.

Ayik cautioned that although HTI symbols are no longer publicly displayed, activities linked to the group can still be easily recognised.

HTI was dissolved in 2017 for advocating an Islamic caliphate that conflicted with Indonesia’s core principles, with the government seeing its rejection of national unity as a direct threat to social cohesion.

By advocating for a system that disregarded democracy and the nation-state, HTI risked fuelling division and undermining Indonesia’s unity and stability.

-- BERNAMA