Women in Terrorism : Important Role Also a Victim

(This whole article based on the Webinar : The Role of Women in Terrorism Financing presented by PAKAR, SerVE Indonesia and Nonviolent Peace Force)

The trend of women’s involvement in terrorism has emerged after the emergence of ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) or Daesh. Women have been involved in terrorism since the Jemaah Islamiyah era. However, at that time the involvement of women was limited to those who supported the struggle of her husband who decided to become a jihadist.

Silvia Lakhsmi, who studies strategy and defense studies at the National Australia University, stated that during the Jemaah Islamiyah era, a woman would automatically be considered a loyal supporter of her husband in a terrorist organization. Starting from the time of their move (JI) to Afghanistan until their expansion into Southeast Asia.

“Marriage alliances, including in Indonesia, were the most strategic way to impart the fundamental ideology to family members,” said Silvia in a presentation at the recent Webinar The Role of Women in Terrorism Financing.

According to her, marriage is one of the four motivations that make a woman join a terrorist network other than friendship, self-actualization and a strong desire to be equal with men fighting for what they believe is an act of jihad in defense of religion.

Since the emergence of ISIS, the role of women in terrorism has shifted, from being loyal supporters of their husbands to being the spearhead of a terrorist network. They raise funds and also become bombers.

Several cases of women’s involvement in terrorism after the emergence of ISIS include Jumiatun alias Atun alias Bunga alias Umi Delima who is the wife of Santoso, one of the former supreme leaders of the Indonesian Mujahideen Council (MIT). MIT is a terrorist network in Indonesia that has pledged allegiance to ISIS in addition to Jamaah Ansharut Daulad (JAD).

Unfortunately, not much information about Umi Delima’s involvement relates to what she might know. Such as about MIT’s long battle, weapon stocks and bombs, international money transfers related to the Abu Sayaf network in the Philippines and about the amount of money he received during MIT military training because the police investigations explored more information about Santoso or Abu Wardah.

Furthermore, Silvia gave an example of Rosmawati or Umi Yazed who was convicted of terrorist financing crime for being involved in funding intended for operations and logistics. Rosmawati is the wife of Hassan Zahabi, one of Santoso’s men. She also raises funds to provide support for widows and jihadi wives as well as the wives of terrorist prisoners.

In the case of the bombing at the Surakarta Police Headquarters, Bahrun Naim, an ISIS figure from Indonesia who was in Syria, ordered one of his followers, Munir, to send money via paypal to Indonesia. Munir did this by sending them several times through his wife. The money was used to prepare a bomb which was later used as a suicide bomber at the Solo Police Headquarters, July 5, 2016.

Silvia also reminded the case of Dian Yulia Novi and Ika Puspitasari. They were arrested on suspicion of carrying out bombings in Jakarta and Bali. Both were linked to ISIS and her husband played a key role in making the two brides of the bomb. Dian is a supporter of Jemaah Ansharut Daulah of which Solikin is a member. While Ika is a member of Katiba Al-Iman. Not only raising funds, Ika also helped the terrorist prisoner, Abu Jundi, get weapons, ammunition and explosives.

At the global level cases like this also occur. In 2015, 6 Bosnian women were sentenced to 30 years in prison for sending money to ISIS and Al Qaeda groups. Then in 2016, Muna Osmanjama and Hinda Ormandi Irani were also convicted of conspiring to provide material support for Al Shiva, a terrorist group in Somalia. Then an American woman used bitcoin for money laundering before using the money for the ISIS group, she laundered at least 85,000 USD.

“History lead that women are only victims against terrorism, but this showed case it’s indicated that women also play an important role,” Silvia added.

An investigative journalist from the Philippines, Joan Andrea Toledo (Drei Toledo) share her experiences as a child who comes from a terrorist family. Drei’s father was the leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People Army (CPP-NPA). Her mother was also involved in terrorism and was active in fundraising activities for terrorism.

Drei, who decided to cut ties with her family in the early of 2013, conducted research on Women in terrorism financing and Child Soldier in the Marawi Siege in 2017 in the midst of the Marawi conflict. From her research, she found that a mother who has been radicalized thinks terrorism is a way to have influence in society. The boys involved in the battle of Marawi were radicalized by their own mothers. The imam of the ISIS organization in Marawi promises Php 50,000 or around USD 1,200 to mothers and fathers who make their children “child soldiers” and hand them over to the ISIS terrorist organization in Marawi.

“The mothers were the ones who were using their own sons as drug couriers,” said Drei.

In the Mindanao region, there is a term narco-terrorist or people involved in crystal methamphetamine drug distribution in the Philippines. This is also the first stage of the involvement of these children in terrorism. Drei who interviewed several children who were in the age range of 8-10 years said that these children were in a state of dependence on crystal methamphetamine.

“They were doing both for the drug cartel and for the ISIS terrorist organization not because of any conscious embrace of the ideology of ISIS but because of their drug addiction. Which means that if you ask the children if the mothers ask the children to give information, be spotters be watchers for ISIS the children would do so and it’s difficult to suspect children even especially for the soldiers who see children and women as victims of war of course internally displaced persons,” explained Drei.

In the middle of Marawi Siege which lasted for about 6-9 months there were many women who were impregnated by foreign fighters and also local fighters of ISIS. These terrorist leaders marry these women to get protection from government intervention because in this area the ethnicity is very strong. Not just anyone can enter without permission from the warlords in those areas. This is also one of the reasons why women and children are trapped in an environment of terrorism and cannot get out.

“Victims of terrorism including the family members of terrorist leaders do not have any agency to go to ask for help,” said Drei. Drei’s mother was killed by the New People’s Army while trying to get out of the terrorist organization.

Chief of Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division Royal Malaysia Police, Normah Ishak, said that women are still very vulnerable. In Malaysia, many women migrate to Syria because of their love for their mujahid or their partner, whether their husband or lover goes to Syria.

“For them this is the expansion the can do for the Daulah Citizenry through constant procreation, meaning become jihadi bride they dream to live in a utopian Islamic State. They thought it’s available throughout the world the only one in Syria. They also believe they will be rewarded for sacrificing their lives so their spouses can achieve sahid or die in dignity. And at the same time, women are physically and emotionally very weak and they sometimes lack of rationale,” said Normah.

Assistant Deputy of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs The Republic of Indonesia, Pribadi Sutiono said, in Indonesia there is no special law or rule of law to ensnare female terrorist actors, whether it is related to funding or acts of terror committed. They are charged under the same laws as male terrorists.

“The Charity is playing an important role and also Indonesian Migrant Workers,” said Pribadi Sutiono.

And in Indonesia at this time the concern is the Indonesian workers who work abroad, currently 60% of whom are women who are prone to being entangled in cases of funding for terrorism network groups and also charity boxes. In 2020, the Indonesian National Police revealed that there were 20,068 charity boxes that became a source of funding for the Jemaah Islamiyah network of terrorist groups. And in mid-September, 5,000 suspicious transactions were found that were suspected to have links to terrorism financing, currently 261 of them are in the process of being investigated.