Syria Prison Attack and It’s Impact on Indonesia

The ambitious attack on a Syrian prison on January 20, 2022 raised new concerns. Although the Syrians have not released names of people who initiated of the attack that took hundreds of victims, they believe ISIS was behind the attack.

In late January, about 250 people believed to be ISIS fighters attacked the As-Sinaa prison in Al-Ghuwairan City, Hasakah Province, Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitoring group, said 136 people were killed in the attack. That number includes 84 ISIS members, 45 members of the Kurdish Forces and 7 civilians. Meanwhile, it is estimated that hundreds of prisoners escaped from the prison, with 89 of them being recaptured by Kurdish authorities.

Analyst from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) Dyah Ayu Kartika saw an increase in propaganda activity carried out by ISIS sympathizers in Indonesia after the deadly attack. According to her, the ghiroh or the spirit of the sympathizers is increasingly visible.

“So far they have never stopped spreading propaganda to show that they still exist. But after the attack, their spirits resurfaced,” said Dyah when contacted by The Apex Chronicles.

Dyah is currently still monitoring through the media and the think tanks that are in Syria. There has been no significant update regarding the attack that took casualties, both from ISIS and the Kurdish army.

Director of Prevention of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) Brigadier General Ahmad Nur Wahid confirmed that the attack had some impact on ISIS followers in Indonesia. However, the action has not yet been seen and the recent arrests have actually targeted JI members.

“ISIS is a global, international and trans-national terrorist network. When there is a movement in one region, other regions will also follow,” he said.

Nur Wahid gave an example, like the human body, when one limb is sick, the other limbs will also feel it. Likewise with ISIS, which has no less than 5000 followers in Indonesia, it is smaller compared to Jamaah Islamiyah which, although it has been disbanded for a long time, is known to still have around 7000 followers spread throughout Indonesia.

The Indonesian government, in this case the BNPT, has carried out various prevention efforts which include community preparedness programs, ideological and propaganda counter-narratives, and deradicalization of terrorists who are already prisoners.

“And our efforts are not only physical, but also ideological. Because according to scholars, terrorism is an ideology built on manipulation and distortion of religion,” he said.

Terrorism Observer from Al Malikussaleh University, Aceh, Al Chaedar via his text message told The Apex Chronicles that the incident made ISIS followers in Indonesia want to follow in the footsteps of Caliph (Hashimi) Al Qureishi, the new leader of ISIS. It is not impossible that they will try to commit suicide bombings for their families, let alone other followers.

“It has not been seen through social media, but many have been through limited family recitations,” he said.