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Residents, Komnas HAM deny IS report

Jakarta Post - December 20, 2014

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Ruslan Sangadji, Palu – Residents and the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) have cast doubt on the existence of the Islamic State (IS), also known as ISIS or ISIL, in the restive regency of Poso in Central Sulawesi, despite the government's claim that the group is already operating there.

Residents said they were surprised by the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno's report on the recruitment of members of IS in the region, because they have so far only known the Santoso-led terrorist cell.

Former Poso combatant Rafiq Syamsuddin told The Jakarta Post that he had observed a number of residents, who experienced police brutality and economic problems, deciding to join the Santoso gang.

"However, they are not IS members. They are members of an armed civilian group spreading terror in Poso," said Rafiq. He added that the current number of residents who had joined Santoso's gang was small; some of them live with Santoso while other mix with residents in the villages.

He derided that the government's statement on the presence of ISIS in Poso as an effort to create a sense of fear among residents. "We are bothered if Poso is mentioned as an ISIS den. It's a ridiculous statement," said Rafiq.

In a separate interview, the Komnas HAM deputy head Siane Indriani said she also doubted that there were IS operations in Poso. She agreed that the Santoso gang was a terrorist group, but was not a part of IS. "Santoso is a terrorist group with similar characteristics to IS," she added.

Siane said that it was unlikely that the Santoso gang was part of IS, as the Santoso group is based in the jungle and would have trouble communicating with the IS network. Even if he did communicate with IS, police should have been able to trace him because they have sophisticated monitoring systems.

Santoso's group, added Siane, was getting smaller by the day, but the group could grow big with funding. "My question is why the small group has never been captured. Instead they exaggerate about connections with ISIS," said Siane.

While police were arresting several Santoso members, they have yet to apprehended Santoso, the main man.

Central Sulawesi Police chief spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Utoro Saputro said Santoso's members were no longer many, as police had yet to arrest around 20 of them. He added that IS supporters were probably present in the province following the discovery of the group's symbols in several places in Poso and Palu. The symbols further examined to know whether they were serious or simply used to take advantage of the widespread reports on IS.

Utoro also said that the violence committed by Santoso's group in Poso resemble that of ISIS. "Their method of killing by slitting the throat of civilians, is the same as ISIS," said Utoro.

The radical group is currently hiding in the dense jungle of the Poso regency. They are strongly believed to have perpetrated a series of shootings against civilians and police in the Poso regency of late.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/20/residents-komnas-ham-deny-is-report.html.