CENTRAL JAVA -- GOI PRESSES ANTI-TERROR EFFORT IN

S E C R E T JAKARTA 002058

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, S/CT, DS/IP/EAP,
DS/TIA/ITA
NSC FOR D.WALTON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2019
TAGS: PGOV PTER ASEC ID
SUBJECT: CENTRAL JAVA -- GOI PRESSES ANTI-TERROR EFFORT IN
AFTERMATH OF NOORDIN TOP'S DEATH

REF: A. JAKARTA 2051

B. JAKARTA 1572

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


1. (S) SUMMARY: Mission team visited Solo, Central Java,
December 14-15. Authorities underscored that the GOI is
keeping up the pressure on extremists. This follows the
police shoot-out in the Solo region on September 17 which
resulted in the killing of Noordin M. Top. Top was the
leader of a splinter group of Jemmah Islamiyah (JI) and was
implicated in the July 17 bombings in Jakarta. In addition
to the law enforcement efforts, Solo Mayor Jokowi continues
to work to deradicalize militants and other fringe elements,
and bring them back into general society. END SUMMARY.

KEEPING UP THE PRESSURE


2. (S) Central Java authorities continue to press the
anti-terror effort. During a December 14-15 visit to the
city of Solo, Pol/C met with police and civilian authorities.
Solo region Deputy Chief of Police A. Mahendra, Police Chief
of Intelligence Jaka Wibawa and Police Intelligence Expert
Muchtar (one name only) told Pol/C that they continued to
actively investigate all reports of terrorist cells operating
in the region. They believed that extremists tied to JI were
trying to regroup after several police raids resulted in
killed and captured key terrorists in the aftermath of the
July 17 bombings in Jakarta. These raids culminated in the
September 17 police action in Solo city which resulted in the
death of Noordin M. Top, the head of a JI splinter group (see
ref b). (Note: Nine people, including the two suicide
bombers, died in the attacks, which injured dozens at the
J.W. Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels located in central
Jakarta.)

POLICE FACE CHALLENGES


3. (S) The police officials said they were actively
monitoring the situation day-by-day. Efforts by extremists
to regroup were severely hampered by a lack of leadership and
organization--they had been "hard hit by the killing of Top,"
Intelligence Chief Muchtar said. Deputy Chief of Police
Mahendra remarked that "there still was some sort of terror
network in existence and it had links to elements in Solo."
The police were fully committed to trying to identify and
isolate those elements, but the terrorists moved from region
to region and mixed up their use of communications.
Moreover, Central Java had over 35 million residents and Solo
570,000, which made detection efforts by the police complex
and wide-ranging.

CIVILIAN AUTHORITIES WORK ON DERADICALIZATION


4. (S) Mayor Joko Widodo told us that he continues to work
on efforts to deradicalize militants and others in Solo.
Widodo said he holds constant meetings with the Solo public
to educate them on the threat posed by terrorists and
extremists. (Note: Per reftels, Mayor Widodo has had great
success in returning law and order to Solo. Just several
years ago, violent Islamic extremists patrolled the streets,
meting out beatings and threats. Working with the police and
placing a focus on economic opportunities, Widodo was able to
stop the violence and dramatically improve day-to-day life in
the city.)


5. (S) Mission Emergency Action Committee's latest
assessment of the overall situation is contained in ref a.
Septel will review Special Representative for Muslim
Communities Farah Pandith's recent visit to Solo.

HUME