EXTREMIST MEDIA GETS SOPHISTICATED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000524

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2018
TAGS: PGOV PTER KPAO SOCI ID
SUBJECT: EXTREMIST MEDIA GETS SOPHISTICATED

REF: JAKARTA 99

JAKARTA 00000524 001.2 OF 002


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


1. (C) SUMMARY: Jemaah Islamiyah and other radical
Islamists have had their ability to carry-out terrorist
operations severely weakened in the last few years. Elements
of these groups, however, still exist and they are
increasingly focusing their energies on spreading radical
thinking through media outlets. High quality books,
magazines and DVDs are being produced by a network of
radicals who maintain close personal/professional links.
This method of spreading "Jihad" is relatively subtle
compared to the violence employed in the past and its
political efficacy is not yet clear. END SUMMARY.

WAGING JIHAD VIA THE MEDIA


2. (C) Over the past several years, the Indonesian
authorities--acting with the quiet assistance of the USG and
other countries--have successfully marginalized Jemaah
Islamiyah (JI) terrorists and militants who have used
violence to spread their message (see reftel). Facing
pressure from the authorities and widespread public revulsion
toward their tactics, JI and other radical groups have had to
rethink their tactics, a process which apparently has
encouraged what appears to be a growing use of alternative
means of spreading their Jihadist views. While JI has been
weakened in a terrorist operational sense, elements of JI and
its supporters remain active, and are increasingly spreading
their radical message through high quality books, magazines
and DVDs.


3. (C) Based on what Mission understands, the publications
are produced through a network of supporters and associates
of JI who create, print, distribute, market and sell
advertising for their materials throughout Indonesia and
other Islamic countries. The doyen of the JI publishing
business is Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, co-founder of a radical
pesantren (religious school) in Solo, Central Java, in the
1980s. The school remains a nexus for dissemination of
radical JI and JI-related publications. Through his
pesantren and its ties to the Islamic publishing industry,
Ba'asyir--who was recently released from prison--is using the
media to spread radical Islamic thought around the country.


4. (C) This business is not focused on profit. According to
John Virgoe, Southeast Asia Project Director for the
International Crisis Group (ICG)--a non-profit NGO
specializing in security/conflict resolution--the Jihadi
publications are not making money for JI. Profits for these
publishers derive instead from their mainstream books
focusing on "women in Islam" and family-oriented
publications. Those profits subsidize the printing of the
radical media. Virgoe told poloff that while there was no
firm evidence of funding from outside Indonesia, the contents
were largely translations from foreign, radical sources.
(Note: ICG recently published an analysis of JI's publishing
efforts. The report is accessible at: www.crisisgroup.org.)

AN INCREASINGLY SLICK FORMAT


5. (C) Extremist media are not exactly hiding from sight.
At a recent Islamic media fair in Jakarta, representatives
from 10 to 12 companies, including Ar-Rahmah Publishing, were
selling Jihadi literature and DVDs. Ar-Rahmah in particular
offered magazines, books and DVDs of unprecedented high
quality. Some of its DVDs used an English speaker to present
Jihadi views, with subtitles in Arabic and Indonesian.


6. (C) The company also displayed the first issue of a
slick, glossy new magazine entitled "JihadMagz." The issue
featured articles on "three Umars" in jihad combat, an
article on "jihad" in Afghanistan, an interview with an
Al-Qaida militant in Iraq, a portrait of "An American
Mujahid" and an analysis of jihad weapons featuring the AK-47
as the most popular. Ba'asyir appeared at the company's

JAKARTA 00000524 002 OF 002


booth to officially release the magazine to the Indonesian
public.


7. (C) Another attraction at the fair was the "Voice of
Islam" radio network. The network representatives promoted
their radio programming which included Islamic songs and talk
shows advocating strict Islamic views. Currently, the
network is played on 153 radio stations throughout Indonesia.
The network's booth was also selling Jihadi DVDs and books
with DVDs boasting titles like "Iraq Under Attack" and
children's cartoons highlighting strict Islamic teachings.
They also played DVDs showing how to make Improvised
Explosive Devices (IEDs). (Note: Extremist media were only
a very small component of the large fair, which was opened by
President Yudhoyono. The vast majority of the items on sale
were religious in nature and not jihadi-linked.)

SOMETHING TO MONITOR


8. (C) Islamic extremist periodicals, etc., have been around
for some time, but have not usually been particularly
sophisticated in Indonesia. Mission is struck, however, by
the sophistication of the Ar-Rahman products, the quality of
the writing and the format and the low-key, though
unmistakable approach to the United States and other
countries as targets. The magazine in particular is designed
to appeal to better-off Indonesians, and the 45,000-rupiah
price (appr.USD 5.00),which represents a day's wages for the
average worker, is one few Indonesians can afford. Mission
is probing contacts to learn more about the financial sources
of the company, which is based in Tangerang, a suburb of
Jakarta.


9. (C) Compared with the violence employed in the past, this
method of spreading "Jihad" is relatively subtle. It is not
clear how effective it is. Obviously, its major objectives
are recruitment to the cause and fundraising, though the
publications are not explicit on that score. Some of the
proceeds may be being ploughed back into JI terrorist cells,
though that is not clear. There are no indications that
extremist thinking is catching on with the Indonesian public
and such thinking does not really figure in mainstream media.
That said, JI-related media--which is now emerging from its
embryonic state--is clearly something that needs continued
monitoring.

HUME