COUNTERTERRORISM -- ACTION GROUP DISCUSSES JIHADI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001079 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, S/CT, DS, EAP/RSP NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ID SUBJECT: COUNTERTERRORISM -- ACTION GROUP DISCUSSES JIHADI PUBLISHING REF: A. JAKARTA 524 ¶B. JAKARTA 427 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The local G-8 Counterterrorism Action Group (CTAG) met in Jakarta on June 2. A visiting Japanese counterterrorism (CT) expert reviewed the role of CTAG in the international CT effort. A Russian Embassy proposal for a joint local CTAG demarche to the GOI concerning "jihadi" publishing in Indonesia was supported by U.S. and French representatives, but rejected by the CTAG as a whole. Mission will continue to press for the joint demarche. The local CTAG will meet again before the G-8 Summit in July. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) JAPANESE CT EXPERT: The Japanese Embassy hosted a local G-8 (plus Australia) CTAG meeting on June 2. A visiting CT expert from Japan briefed the group on the role of CTAG in the international CT effort. Funio Shimizu, Director, International Counterterrorism Cooperation Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted the need for improved capacity building with the GOI on CT efforts, and the continued need to assess the threat of terrorism despite major CT successes. ¶3. (C) Shimizu emphasized the positive efforts made by the GOI to deradicalize arrested terrorists. He mentioned that Japan was interested in working with the GOI--especially the police and prison system--to provide a moderate Islamic message to captured terrorists. The Australians said they were also encouraged by the potential of the program but worried about ad hoc elements of the plan. Poloff stated that Mission was working with police and prisons to create a more formal deradicalization program that would better account for the funds spent to assist families of imprisoned terrorists and for the job training provided to the prisoners. ¶4. (C) RUSSIAN REQUEST: Prior to the CTAG meeting, Russian Pol/C contacted Mission Pol/C to elicit support for a proposed joint CTAG demarche to the GOI to underscore the potential danger of allowing (increasingly sophisticated) jihadi publications to go unchecked by the GOI (ref B). Recently, high quality "Jihadi" publications such as magazines, books and DVDs have been sold in Solo, Central Java, and Jakarta. The publications glorify violence and those who perpetrate violence. The Russians--apparently worried that Chechnya is mentioned in some of the publications--have already demarched the GOI about these materials. Ambassador Hume echoed the request to Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary General Cotan in a meeting in February (ref A). ¶5. (C) When Russian Pol/C proposed the joint demarche at the June 2 CTAG meeting, poloff voiced support for the proposal. The French DCM also agreed with the proposal. Australia and most European members present, however, urged that the issue continue to be raised in bilateral discussions with the GOI. They argued that a joint demarche might negatively impact the GOI's willingness to pursue the publishers of the materials. Australia and Canada said the GOI was aware of the issue and should be given more time to take appropriate action. ¶6. (C) The consensus was to allow the GOI more time to JAKARTA 00001079 002 OF 002 collect information on who was publishing the material and to monitor the situation without pressure from the CTAG. The Japanese Chair summarized the group's decision to hold off on a joint demarche and to continue to press the GOI through bilateral talks for the near term. Mission will continue to press for the joint demarche. ¶7. (U) NEXT MEETING: The Jakarta CTAG plans to meet next before the G-8 Summit in Japan in July. HEFFERN