Effendi Rusli, Jakarta – Thirty-four members of the Anshor Daulah group in Riau, previously affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS), have renounced their allegiance to the extremist network and pledged loyalty to the Republic of Indonesia during a ceremony in Pekanbaru on Friday.
Anshor Daulah (sometimes spelled Ansar Daulah) is a local extremist group in Indonesia that has pledged allegiance (baiat) to ISIS (Islamic State). The name Anshor Daulah roughly translates to Helpers of the State (Caliphate), referring to the self-proclaimed ISIS caliphate.
The former Anshor Daulah members, including 32 men and two women, declared their commitment to Indonesia at the Sarindit Hall, Riau Governor's Office, symbolically kissing the Indonesian flag as a sign of returning to national values.
They pledged loyalty and kissed the red and white flag as a symbol of returning to being fully Indonesian, Riau Police Chief Hery Heryawan said.
Some of the 34 individuals had been directly involved with ISIS or exposed to radical ideology, Hery saidd. The deradicalization process, he added, was the result of a long-term assessment and outreach program by Indonesia's counterterrorism police unit, Densus 88. The former members will continue to be monitored by local task forces and community police to support their reintegration.
Riau Densus 88 Chief, Senior Commissioner Sunadi, said the Anshor Daulah group was once affiliated with ISIS and had committed various acts of violence across Indonesia, including attacks targeting the Riau Police headquarters.
They did not undergo imprisonment but were identified, approached, and assessed until they developed the awareness to return to the Republic of Indonesia, Sunadi explained.
During the ceremony, the former Anshor Daulah members read a five-point pledge:
- Renouncing allegiance to the leader of ISIS as it contradicts the principles of the Republic of Indonesia.
- Acknowledging Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution as the foundation of the state, consistent with Islamic teachings.
- Rejecting and avoiding any ideology or actions that could divide the nation.
- Committing to protect the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia.
- Agreeing to abide by the laws and regulations of Indonesia.