Indonesia invites ex-terror convict and bombmaking instructor to join antiterror initiative
The ex-convict is now a PhD holder, whose doctoral thesis was entitled "Religious Moderation for Former Convicts”.
JAKARTA: The Indonesian National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) has invited a former terror convict and Jemaah Islamiyah bombmaking instructor who is now a PhD holder to become part of the institution’s counter-radicalisation initiative.
Al Aan recently reported on Ali Fauzi, who graduated with a PhD from the University of Muhammadiyah Malang, and whose thesis was entitled “Religious Moderation for Former Convicts”.
"It is hoped that he can become part of counter-terrorism efforts," Nusatara TV reported BNPT’s chief, Boy Rafli Amar, as saying in Jakarta on Friday.
Ali was the chief bombmaking instructor for the East Java chapter of Jemaah Islamiyah, the al-Qaeda-linked terror group responsible for the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 204 people.
In a media interview during his graduation ceremony, he said doctoral work was much tougher than making bombs.
Boy also encouraged other former terror convicts to follow Ali Fauzi’s footsteps in academia and to become part of the counter-radicalization and antiterrorism programme.
"We will also support (former terrorism convicts) who want to go back to school,” said Boy.
The official also appealed to the public not to isolate former terror convicts because they must instead be embraced so they do not return to their previous lives.
Boy said on their part, the agency also supports former convicts to develop their various potentials such as in farming, animal husbandry and other fields as well as attending work training centres and so on.
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