COUNTERTERRORISM -- MULTILATERAL CTAG MEETING IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000427

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, S/CT, DS, EAP/RSP
NSC FOR E.PHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ID
SUBJECT: COUNTERTERRORISM -- MULTILATERAL CTAG MEETING IN
JAKARTA


Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Japanese EMBASSY hosted a regular
Counterterrorism Assistance Group (CTAG) meeting in Jakarta
on February 26. Participants reviewed their assistance to
the GOI in the CT area, focusing on the programs of some of
the smaller countries, which also provide meaningful
assistance. The wide-ranging discussion also touched on GOI
deradicalization efforts and community policing. The group
will meet again later this year. END SUMMARY.

A REGULAR CTAG MEETING


2. (C) The Japanese EMBASSY hosted a regular meeting of CTAG
members on February 26. (Note: The German EMBASSY hosted
the previous CTAG meeting in June 2007.). The meeting
included representatives from Australia, Canada, the European
Commission, France, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, Switzerland,
the United Kingdom and the United States. Due to the visit
of its Foreign Minister to Jakarta, Germany was absent, but
submitted an assistance summary. The group will meet again
later this year.

REVIEWING BILATERAL ASSISTANCE


3. (C) CTAG members reviewed the latest on their
governments' bilateral CT assistance programs with the GOI.
They also agreed to continue working closely with other
members to coordinate assistance in order to reduce any
duplication of effort.


4. (C) Two key aspects of current assistance concentrated on
community policing and support for the Jakarta Center for Law
Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) in Semarang, Central Java.
The Japanese, French and Australians described substantial
programs focused on training the INP in community policing
concepts. (Note: Local police chiefs throughout the country
have emphasized to poloff the success of these programs,
especially in Central Java and Central Sulawesi.)


5. (C) Most CTAG members also reported some form of
cooperation with JCLEC, a regional training facility
established and run by the Australian government in
cooperation with Indonesian authorities. JCLEC was
particularly useful as a way for countries with smaller
assistance budgets to contribute usefully to the CT effort.
Italy and Switzerland, for example, had provided CT trainers
in crime scene investigation and financial crimes
investigation to the JCLEC facility. (Note: The U.S.,
Australian and Canadian Embassies will host a conference
bringing together Indonesian police, prosecutors, judges and
prison officials to discuss CT issues March 11-13 at JCLEC.)

DERADICALIZATION EFFORTS


6. (C) After the bilateral assistance review, the GOJ
representative discussed the view that what was left of the
Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) network was based predominantly in
Central Java, Central Sulawesi and Ambon (South Maluku) in
eastern Indonesia. Poverty, low economic development and
poor education standards heightened the appeal of radical
Islam in these areas, the Japanese remarked. U.S.,
Australian and Canadian participants agreed that addressing
these factors could help to undercut terrorist recruitment.


7. (C) The Japanese also emphasized the GOI view that
terrorism is a crime and not a religious act. GOI public

JAKARTA 00000427 002 OF 002


campaigns sought to delink religion from terrorism,
portraying terrorism as a violent act against all people and
one which could not be justified in any way under the guise
of religion. The GOI was asking moderate Muslim leaders to
emphasize to their communities that the use of violence for
religious ends could not be tolerated. Participants agreed
that the Indonesian government approach in this area made
sense.


8. (C) The group also shared information on the GOI's
de-radicalization efforts, particularly those of the
Indonesian National Police (INP) to re-educate terrorists in
custody. The CTAG felt the INP concept was good but
insufficiently developed as of this point. Of nearly 400
terrorists captured since 2002, only a small number had
publicly denounced terrorism.


9. (C) Participants also noted that once terrorists entered
the prison system, they came back into contact with radical
elements, sometimes undoing the INP's efforts. Until a
comprehensive approach by police and prison officials was
adopted, the INP's deradicalization approach--which did have
some promise--would probably continue to show limited
results. U.S. and Australian participants reported that
their governments were reviewing prison reform and
encouraging Indonesia to expose terrorists to moderate
religious teachings while they were serving their sentences.


HUME