Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), which claims to be the largest Muslim organization in the country, has announced that it established a special detachment to counter radicalism.

Called a special detachment, or Densus 26, in a nod to the police's counterterrorism unit, Densus 88, the new unit will not carry weapons but use persuasion and scientific debate to prevent people from following radical teachings.

"Our weapon is religious science," program initiator Umaruddin Masdar said during the weekend. He said the unit would be given additional training on negating the logic that radicalism supporters have been using in their movements.

Speaking on the sidelines of a two-day training session for Densus 26 member candidates in Pleret, Bantul, Yogyakarta, Umaruddin said Densus 26, which comprises ulema and preachers, was tasked with correcting deviant Islamic teaching and radicalism. The 26 in the name refers to 1926, the birth year of the NU.

Some 250 local ulemas and preachers from across the country joined the training in which they held intensive preaching activities and studies on relevant subjects. Present at the opening of the training was NU chairman Said Aqil Siradj.

The established of Densus 26 came in the wake of escalating suspicions that Islamic State of Indonesia (NII) movement had adopted radical methods in soliciting new members for the movement.

"What the ulema and preachers need are knowledge that will make them more courageous to speak up based on the correct religious arguments to prevent the spread of radicalism," Umaruddin said.

He added that the NU had a wide network of ulema and preachers nationwide, but they lacked science and strategy to prevent the growth of radicalism.

"We are not fighting against but straightening radicalism, which has emerged because its supporters perceive the religion instantly and partially," he said. He added that the NU planned to develop Densus 26 in Java before expanding it across the country.

Basuki, a participant from Pajangan, Bantul, welcomed the initiative, saying that the two-day activity made him more confident in preaching. He said the NU network of ulemas and preachers had much potential to help stifle terrorism and the spread of deviant religious understanding.