Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – A new government agency expected to take a more comprehensive approach to eradicating terrorism will be officially established in July, an official said, amid criticism of the government's failing deradicalization efforts.
A draft of presidential regulation establishing the National Counter-Terrorism Agency has been sent to the President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's office, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto told reporters on Tuesday.
"We hope the regulation is signed by the President in July," he said.
The agency aims at improving the function of the current counterterror desk under Djoko's office, which is currently led by Insp. Gen. (ret.) Ansyaad Mbai.
"We are facing bigger problems pertaining to the issue of terrorism, which requires the involvement of various related institutions. The establishment of this agency therefore is a must," Djoko added. The minister however refused to further elaborate the role and authorities of the agency.
The ministry's spokesman, Rear Marshal Sagom Tamboen, said the agency would be directly under the presidential office. He added it would comprise several task forces made up of related institutions.
According to Insp. Gen. (ret.) Ansyaad Mbai, the national antiterror agency was expected to coordinate and allocate resources needed in the battle against terrorism. He said when it came to deradicalization effort, for example, the agency would have the authority to form a deradicalization division comprising officials from many institutions, including the Religious Affairs Ministry.
To date, deradicalization efforts have been carried out sporadically, if personally, by a number of police officials and human rights activists. This proves to be ineffective with most of those who have gone through the programs reoffending.
Meanwhile, National police spokesman Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang said the police were planning to upgrade the size and function of their antiterror squad Detachment 88.
"The issue of terrorism has become more complex than it used to be. We need to improve the size and function of the special detachment so that we will be able to tackle terrorism more effectively in the future," he said.
He said the special detachment would be soon separated from its mother institution, the national detective agency, and become a single entity directly under the National Police chief. He said the special detachment would be led by a two-star police general.
University of Indonesia criminologist Adrianus Meliala said the plan to upgrade Detachment 88 would undermine the planned terror agency.
"The idea to set up the coordination agency is to have the special detachment that will serve as an effective tool to prevent terror attacks. Thus I fail to see the importance to upgrade the special detachment right now since we have already agreed to develop the counterterrorism agency," he said, adding he feared the functions of the two agencies would overlap.
Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang, dismissed such criticism. "We will be more than willing to cooperate with the national counterterrorism agency once it is established," he answered.