A Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher has met face to face with a former high ranking terrorist, a jihadist turned ‘supergrass’, whose intimate knowledge will provide valuable insight into the mind of the terrorist for senior policing students at CSU.

 

Associate Professor Nick O’Brien from the Australian Graduate School of Policing travelled to Jakarta, Indonesia, in February to interview two very different people about the issues of ‘Radicalisation, De-Radicalisation and Counter-Radicalisation’, subjects offered at the School. 

 

The first person interviewed was Nasir Abbas, a former senior member of the south-east Asian terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), and who is now assisting Indonesian authorities to develop and implement counter-terrorism strategies, all under a threat of death.

 

Abbas, who gave evidence against the spiritual leader of JI, Abu Bakr Bashir, collaborates with the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation (JCLEC), which is partly Australian funded and is also assisting the Indonesian police in their ‘de-radicalisation’ programme.

 

Professor O’Brien says, “Abbas was able to offer a personal history relating to his life circumstances, significant events and the thoughts associated with the varying stages of his youth and progression within organisations. This included his history of studying Islam in Malaysia through to training in Afghanistan”.

 

The second insight into the world of terrorism was provided by a senior Indonesian police officer, who was responsible for counter radicalisation and de-radicalisation operations in Poso, a small town in the middle of the religiously divided Indonesian province of Central Sulawesi, which has become a main battlefield in Indonesia's offensive in the ‘war on terror’.

 

The officer explained how Indonesian police attempt to turn people away from the path of radicalisation using Poso as a case study.

 

The interviews, which were filmed by CSU staff member Ms Kerrie Brown, took place in a Jakarta hotel, near the Marriott Hotel, the scene of terrorist bombings in 2003. 

 

Professor O’Brien says, “The issue of radicalisation is one of the most important topics that need to be studied by governments and counter-terrorism officials.  With an increased knowledge and understanding from such a personal perspective, it is hoped that these interviews will contribute to the measures aimed at creating more effective counter terrorism strategies in the long term.”