The Internet in Indonesia: Development and Impact of Radical Websites

Abstract

The Internet has become a crucial part of modern society's life due to its ability to facilitate communication and structure contemporary society. Indonesia has not been left out of this global phenomenon. The Internet came to Indonesia in 1983 and its usage has continued to expand ever since, especially within institutions of learning and in the government sector. The study of radical websites must be situated within the development of the Internet in Indonesia in general instead of being examined by itself. The impact of certain activities such as cyberterrorism must then be examined in perspective, given the vast expanse of Indonesia as an archipelago and the resulting difficulties in linking the entire country to the Internet. This article seeks to trace the development of the Internet in Indonesia and examine the resulting impact on the reach of the radical Bahasa Indonesia Islamic websites in the Indonesian Archipelago and beyond. It also highlights typical narrative and operations of the radical websites, which serves to distinguish them from radical websites from elsewhere, such as the Middle East.

Notes

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2. Ministry of Home Affairs Press Release: Further Detentions, Releases and Issuance of Restriction Orders under the Internal Security Act, “Detention of Self-Radicalized Singaporean,” 8 June 2007. Available at http://app.sprinter.gov.sg/data/pr/20070608981.htm (accessed 1 February 2008).

3. National Conference for State Legislatures, “Cyber-Terrorism.” Available at http://www.ncsl.org/programs/lis/cip/cyberterrorism.htm (accessed 21 January 2008).

4. Ronald Lukens-Bull and Mark Woodward, “Israeli Nukes versus Palestinian Slingshots,” Consortium for Strategic Communication, Report #0901, 6 March 2009.

5. Gratitude must be expressed to my former colleague, Rohaiza Ahmad Asi, for the suggestion of this usage of Kent Anderson's model for examining radical websites.

6. Apster, Issue 21 (February 2007), “The Internet in Indonesia”, p. 1.

7. Ibid.

8. Apster, “The Internet in Indonesia,” p. 2.

9. Ibid.

10. Ibid.

11. The term warnet was derived from “warung Internet.” Warung is the term for traditional roadside cafes selling food and drinks as well as an assortment of snacks.

12. Apster, “The Internet in Indonesia,” p. 2.

13. Ibid., p. 2.

14. Merlyna Lim, in an interview with Lenore Lyons, “Social History of the Internet and Its Uses in Indonesia with Merlyna Lim,” M/C Dialogue. Available at http://dialogue.media-culture.org.au/node/20/print (accessed 3 June 2007).

15. Lim, “Social History of the Internet and Its Uses.”

16. Ibid.

17. Apster, “The Internet in Indonesia,” p. 2.

18. Indonesia Matters, “Internet Users Statistics,” 16 January 2008. Available at http://www.indonesiamatters.com/1568/internet-usage/ (accessed 18 January 2008).

19. “Tahun 2011, Internet Masuk Desa,” Koran Tempo, 16 May 2008.

20. Ibid.

21. “Ketika Internet Masuk Pesantren,” Koran Tempo, 28 April 2008.

22. Ibid.

23. Apster, “The Internet in Indonesia,” p. 2.

24. Indonesia Matters, “Internet Users Statistics.”

25. Lim, “Social History of the Internet and Its Uses.”

26. Ibid.

27. Ibid.

28. “Kenikmatan Kemuliaan Yang Paling Besar,” Tarbiyah wa Tasfiyyah blog, 9 October 2008. Available at http://abahzacky.wordpress.com/2007/10/09/kenikmatan-kemuliaan-yang-paling-besar/ (accessed 24 January 2008).

29. See the Arrahmah Media website at http://www.arrahmah.com/

30. Magnus Ranstorp and Graeme P. Herd, “Approaches to Countering Terrorism and CIST,” in Anne Aldis and Graeme P. Herd, eds., The Ideological War on Terror: Worldwide Strategies for Counter-Terrorism (London and New York: Routledge, 2007), p. 9.

31. See the Al Muhajirun website, “Mengembalikan Citra Wanita,” 21 April 2008. Available at http://almuhajirun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=253&Itemid=33 (accessed 23 April 2008).

32. Farish A. Noor, “Women in the Service of the Jundullah: The Case of Women Supporters of the Jama'ah Islamiyah of Indonesia.” Paper for the Workshop on “Female Suicide Bombers and Europe” organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Arundel House, London, 12 March 2007, p. 13.

33. “Tentang KISPA,” Indonesian Committee for Palestinian Solidarity website. Available at http://www.kispa.org/index.php/view/about (accessed 25 January 2008). The KISPA is chaired by Ferry Nur and is made up of the following groups that made the Palestinian cause their utmost concern: Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), Azikra, Darutarbiyah and Anti Zionist and American Movement (GAZA).

34. Palestinian Information Center. Available at http://www.infopalestina.com/ms/default.aspx (accessed 25 January 2008). The Palestinian Information Center called itself an independent organization. It established its first website in Arabic on 1 December 1997 and followed up with Turkish, Urdu, Malay, French, and Russian websites. It stated its aim as correcting the Western-biased news reports of the current condition in Palestine.

35. Marc Sageman, “Ask the Author: Marc Sageman,” Foreign Policy, April 2008. Available at http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4195 (accessed 22 September 2008).

36. M. Fachry, “Daulah Islam Kaukasus dan Masa Depan Jihad Chechnya,” Arrahmah Media website, 25 November 2007. Available at http://www.arrahmah.com/blog/daulah-islam-kaukasus-dan-masa-depan-jihad-chechnya/ (accessed 14 January 2008).

37. “Topic: Interview with the Mujahidin of Pattani Darussalam,” Al Muhajirun website, 13 May 2008. Available at http://www.almuhajirun.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=61&func=view&id=242&catid=4 (accessed 14 May 2008).

38. Ibid.

39. Ibid.

40. Ibid.

41. Ibid.

42. Sidney Jones, “New Development in Indonesian Jihadism,” Seminar at S. Rajaratnam of International Studies, 29 October 2008.

43. Ibid.

44. Ibid.

45. Marc Sageman, “Marc Sageman on the Battle for Young Muslims’ Hearts and Minds and the Future of Leaderless Jihad,” National Post Blog, 7 July 2008. Available at http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/7/7/marc-sageman-on-the-battle-for-young-muslims-hearts-and-minds-and-the-future-of-the-leaderless-jihad.aspx (accessed 2 September 2008).

46. Ibid.

47. Lim, in an interview with Lenore Lyons, “Social History of the Internet and Its Uses.”

48. Sekjen Kispa Akan Hadiri Peringatan Intifadhad di UI Depok, KISPA website. Available at http://www.kispa.org/index.php/view/berita/datetimes/2007-12-06±11%3A13%3A27 (accessed 23 January 2008).

49. “Press Release on the Posting of the Photo of the Martyr Imam Samudra,” Arrahmah Media. http://www.arrahmah.com/ (accessed 10 November 2008).

50. “Another Akhi Escaped,” Abu Bakr Blog, 29 February 2008. Available at http://abubakr1400.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html (accessed 1 March 2008).

51. “An Accused Leader of Jemaah Islamiyah Singapore has not been Found,” Arrahmah Media, 23 May 2008. Available at http://www.arrahmah.com/index.php/forum/viewthread/522/ (accessed 28 May 2008).

52. Hanna Rogan, “Jihadism Online—A Study of how Al-Qaida and Radical Islamist Groups Use the Internet for Terrorist Purposes,” FFI/RAPPORT 2006/00915, p. 8.

53. Abul Taher, “Veil Teacher was Obeying a Fatwa,” The Sunday Times, 29 October 2006. Available at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2426770,00.html (accessed 18 January 2008).

54. Abul Taher, “UK Preacher in Secret Web Call for Jihad,” The Sunday Times, 14 January 2008. Available at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2546266,00.html (accessed 18 January 2008).

55. Jones, “Development in Indonesian Jihadism.”

56. Ibid.

57. Ibid.

58. Ibid.

59. “Al Muhajirun Edisi Eksklusif … Segera Terbit!!” Al Ghuroba-Followers of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah, 30 November 2007. Available at http://gurobabersatu.blogspot.com/2007/11/al-muhajirun-edisi-eksklusifsegera.html (accessed 21 January 2008).

60. Megag36, “Risalah Taklimat Tiga Serangkai”, Forum Jihad Al Firdaus, 30 September 2007. Available at http://www.alfirdaus.org/ (accessed 14 January 2008).

61. “Risalah Taklimat,” Al Ghuroba-Followers of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah, 2 October 2007. Available at http://gurobabersatu.blogspot.com/2007/10/risalah-taklimat.html (accessed 14 January 2008).

62. Marc Sageman, Understanding Terror Networks (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004), p. 162.

63. “Komentar Politik September-Oktober 2007,” Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia website, 19 November 2007. Available at http://www.hizbut-tahrir.or.id/index.php/2007/11/19/komentar-politik-september-oktober-2007/ (accessed 26 November 2007).

64. Ibid.

65. “International Caliphate Conference,” Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia website, 27 May 2007. Available at http://www.hizbut-tahrir.or.id/index.php/2007/05/27/undangan-kki/#more-76 (accessed 27 May 2008).

66. “Majalah,” Al Muhajirun-Pengikut Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah. Available at http://www.almuhajirun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=33&Itemid=53 (accessed 17 February 2008).

67. “Amrozi cs Dieksekusi, Situs Teror Hilang,” Tempo Interaktif, 10 November 2008.

68. Ibid.

69. Rogan, “Jihadism Online,” p. 32.

70. Ibid., p. 31.

71. “Iklan Orang Mendukung Kafir Mohon Dihilangkan,” Forum Jihad Al Firdaus. Available at http://www.alfirdaus.org/ (accessed 25 January 2008).

72. “The Enemy Within: Where are the Islamist/ Jihadist Websites Hosted, and What Can Be Done About It?” The Middle East Media Research Institute Inquiry and Analysis Series No. 374, 19 July 2007.

73. Ibid.

74. See the KISPA website at http://www.kispa.org/index.php/view/infaq.

75. “Here: Notebook with Cover of Palestinian Fighters Syaikh Yassin, Rantisi and Yahya Ayyasy,” Palestinian Information Center website, 21 August 2007. Available at http://www.palestine-info.com/ms/default.aspx (accessed 21 August 2007).

76. Ibid.

77. See the advertisement for “Independent Palestine or Third Intifadhah”, Palestinian Information Center website, 15 December 2007. Available at http://www.infopalestina.com/ms/default.aspx (accessed 16 December 2007).

78. “Indonesia: Jemaah Islamiyah's Publishing Industry,” International Crisis Group, Crisis Group Asia Report No. 147, 28 February 2008, p. 9. For some of the VCD titles sold at the Jakarta Islamic Book Fair in March 2008, please refer to “New Release VCD (March 2008), Get it at the Islamic Book Fair, Stand No. 73,” 8 February 2008. Available at http://www.arrahmah.com/forum/viewthread/239/ (accessed 8 February 2008).

79. Ibid., p. 10.

80. Jihad Magz; Membumikan Jihad, Merealisasikan Syari'at, Arrahmah Media website, 3 March 2008. Available at http://www.arrahmah.com/news/detail/jihad-magz-membumikan-jihad-merealisasikan-syariat/ (accessed 3 March 2008).

81. NCSL; “Definition of Cyberterrorism,” National Conference for State Legislatures. Available at http://www.ncsl.org/programs/lis/cip/cyberterrorism.htm (accessed 28 October 2008).

82. “Topic: Knowledge on Instruments in I/’dad Madhy,” Al Muhajirun. Available at http://www.almuhajirun.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=61&func=view&id=200&catid=4 (accessed 11 February 2008).

83. Ibid.

84. Read the discussion found on Al Muhajirun and Arrahmah Media forums.

85. “Membuat RDX dan Mercury Fulminate,” Forum Islam Al-Tawbah, 18 December 2008. Available at http://www.al-tawbah.com/f/showthread.php?t=2156 (accessed 13 February 2009).

86. Reference Document_30.

87. Reference Document_31.

88. Reference Document_32.

89. Reference Document_33.

90. Reference Document_34.

91. Reference Document_35.

92. Kent Anderson, “Hacktivism and Politically Motivated Computer Crime,” Encurve, LLCC, 2009.

93. Ibid.

94. “Situs Buat Latihan Nge Hack!” Forum Jihad Al Firdaus, 5 July 2007. Available at http://www.alfirdaus.org/ (accessed 24 January 2008).

95. Ibid.

96. See the section “Hacking dan Jihad Elektronik” at http://www.alfirdaus.org/

97. http://www.anshar.net was created by a student of Semarang University, Moh. Agung Prabowo alias Kalingga alias Max Fiderman alias Ahmad alias Kalingga alias Bebek-bebekan in 2005. The creation of the website is suspected to be under the direction of Noordin M Top through Abdul Aziz alias Ja'far alias Qital, a suspected leader of the East Java wakalah of Jema'ah Islamiyah. The website contained information on foreigners’ favorite places in Jakarta, information on escape routes for potential attackers as well as instruction on making bombs. It also once carried the will of Mukhlas, one of the Bali bomb convicts who are currently awaiting execution. The website has been shut down by authorities.

98. Imam Samudera's book is entitled Aku Melawan Teroris (I Versus Terrorists) (Solo: Jazera, 2004). It is readily available in major bookstores in Indonesia. An effort to counter Samudera's justifications for the bombings had been conducted by Ustadz Muhammad Haniff bin Hassan in his book, Unlicensed to Kill: Countering Imam Samudera's Justification for the Bali Bombing (Singapore: Peace Matters, 2006).

99. Alan Sipress, “An Indonesian's Prison Memoir Takes Holy War into Cyberspace,” Washington Post Foreign Service, 14 December 2004. Available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62095-2004Dec13.html (accessed 18 January 2008).

100. Ibid.

101. Robert Raffaele, “Indonesian Police Charge Two Suspects with Cyber-Terrorism,” Global security.org, 23 August 2006. Available at http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/library/news/2006/08/sec-06823-voa01.htm (accessed 9 January 2008).

102. Anderson, “Hacktivism and Politically Motivated Computer Crime.”

103. “The Website of the Ministry of Communication and Information was Successfully Hacked after Minister of Communication and Information Called on the People to not Call Amrozi and Company Martyrs,” Infojihad, 27 October 2008.

104. “Amrozi cs Dieksekusi, Situs Terror Hilang,” Tempo Interaktif, 10 November 2008.