Rendi A. Witular and Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The unusual method of attack and the targets of the three attempted bombings in Jakarta on Tuesday have caused many to question whether this was the work of the usual terror group once linked to Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).
As the police investigation into the perpetrators who sent explosives disguised in books to three prominent figures in the city continues with no significant progress, what is clear is that the targets represent the enemies of radical Muslim groups.
The first bomb was sent to moderate Islamic scholar and pluralism activist Ulil Abshar Abdalla, who has received death threats from radical groups since 2001.
The second and third bombs were sent to National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief Comr. Gen. Gories Mere and Pancasila Youth chairman Yapto Soelistyo Soerjosomarno.
Gories is known as a counterterrorism tzar and Catholic activist, while Yapto is half Jewish and the leader of an organization whose members are mostly engaged in the protection racket.
The bombs did not go off as the perpetrators planned, Ulil's package exploding and injuring police officers who were attempting to defuse the bomb while waiting for the bomb squad to arrive.
"Existing terrorist groups have long kept other main targets on their list aside from government officials and Westerners, like liberal Muslim activists, Christian activists and Jewish people," University of Indonesia terrorism analyst Mardigu Wowiek Prasantyo said Wednesday. "The three bombs targeted representative figures."
Indonesian Muslim Movement (GUII) chair Abdurrahman Assegaf, who has close links with the intelligence agency, said the attacks might have been carried out by former JI members who were now targeting people deemed in opposition to mainstream Islam. "By targeting them, the groups would like to draw the sympathy of mainstream Muslims to their struggle."
But, the attacks could also be politically motivated, planned by people in the military, law enforcement and the intelligence community who are unsatisfied with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's leadership.
"From the methods and the targets, it's a different game than that played by the usual terrorist groups," House of Representatives' Commission I for intelligence, defense and foreign affairs member T.B. Hasanuddin said.
The packages' low explosive level coupled with the absence of nails and bolts to boost a bomb's damaging effects are just not in line with the bombs usually assembled by members and former members of JI.
"There's always the possibility that there is a new group involved in the attacks. A group that is a mutation of an existing one or a group that is totally new," National Antiterrorism Agency (BNPT) chair Ansyaad Mbai said.
State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Sutanto said the agency could not be sure what group was behind the recent attacks. Sutanto also denied his agency had any role in the incidents. "It is not that the intelligence was poor in failing to detect the threat, it's just that we've done so many things to prevent bigger incidents," he said.
The attempted triple bombing has now been added to a long list of recent incidents intentionally engineered to disrupt pluralism in the country.
Those incidents include a bloody mob attack on Ahmadiyah in Cikeusik, Banten, and riots in Temanggung, Central Java, triggered by a blasphemy trial. While the police have managed to detain participants in those attacks, they have thus far been unable to net the masterminds.