Terror Threats More Potential in 2017: Observer

Jakarta, (Antara) - Intelligence observer retired Rear Marshal Prayitno Ramelan warned that threat of terrorism is more potential in 2017 than in 2016.

Prayitno said ISIS leadership has ordered its units  from various countries in the world to return home after its fighters in Iraq have lost ground and been driven from their fortress city of Mosul.

The Jihadists now in Syria and Iraq have been told to return  and resume the fight in their respective countries, he said.

"They are given fund to finance their terror operations at home," he said in a statement issued here on Monday.

The government, therefore, has to keep watching around 500 Indonesian combatants still in  Syria and Iraq, to be sent back to the country,  he said.

"Anticipatory steps have to be taken. Not ever under estimate them. They are trained fighters with motivation  after being indoctrinated with the ISIS ideology," the retired air force general said.

He said ISIS might have given special instruction to leaders of the Indonesian fighters Bahrun Naim, Bahrumsyah,  and Abu Jandal, who are believed to be still alive to lead the fights in Indonesia with terror.

In 2016, there were still terrorist cells emerging in Indonesia controlled by Bahrun Naim from Raqqa.

He cited the  Thamrin bomb in Jakarta, lone wolf terror attacks in Medan  and  Tangerang, and the foiled suicide bombing of the presidential palace planned by the Bintara cell of Bekasi.

The terrorist cells were believed to have received fund aid from Bahrun Naim, but it is still an assumption, he said.

He also warned to watch the role of social media  as the terrorist groups could easily spread their ideology and pass on instructions through the social media with reports, pictures and video.

"I think Bahrun Naim has the skill to motivate members of inactive cells in the country into launching lone wolf terror action with simple weapon like knife not necessarily bomb or firearms," he said.

The role of the mas media is important for the terrorists to create terror as without the help of the mass media or social media terror actions would not be effective, he said.(*)