Publication

This briefing examines the geographic reach and membership of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) in Indonesia. It discusses the significance of police arrests in late March 2007 of JI members said to be involved in a new military structure. The briefing suggests that those arrested may have formed part of a special forces unit, the most recent of several unsuccessful efforts since 2002 to bring one into being. It argues that JI remains focused on its long-term goal of establishing an Islamic state in Indonesia. It concludes that Southeast Asia’s largest jihadi organization retains more than 900 members across Indonesia and remains a major security threat, focused more on local than Western targets.