Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal, and Human Rights, Mahfud MD, assures that the ex-ISIS will not return. (Image via Kompas.com)

Banning ex-ISIS's passports, Mahfud clams up about the number

Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal, and Security, Mahfud MD, said that the Indonesian government had banned passports of Indonesian nationals adjoined in the Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTF) group, ISIS.

Since their passports are banned, Mahfud said that these Indonesian nationals cannot be repatriated to Indonesia from Syria and Iraq. Speaking at his office, Mahfud did not reveal the number of the banned passports.

Mahfud confirmed that he had coordinated with the Ministry regarding the banning of the Indonesian nationals and ex-ISIS fighters. He left the announcement duty for the Ministry. The Coordinating Minister also did not want to unveil the identity of the Indonesian nationals whose passports are banned, in the name of privacy.

Regarding whether is it a one-sided decision or not, Mahfud asserted that the decision was not taken by his own consideration. Passport banning is the result of the cabinet meeting. There are more than 600 ex-Indonesian ISIS fighters stranded in the Middle East.

National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) stated that the majority of the ex-ISIS fighters are women and children.

Law and Human Rights Minister, Yasonna Laoly, revealed the latest data that currently, at least 1,276 ex-ISIS Indonesian nationals overseas.

It is a goal of the Indonesian government to complicate their return to Indonesia in order to tackle terrorism ideology in the land. President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), ordered his men to check the identities of the ex-ISIS Indonesian nationals to make sure they will not return.

Mahfud revealed that there are 117 terrorists already passed the deradicalization process and were willing to pledge their allegiance to Indonesia.

Source: https://bit.ly/2TuezyH