Former ISIS Supporters to Be Educated in Patriotism

Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu.

Bogor, West Java, MINA – Defense minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has said he plans to send Indonesian former supporters of ISIS to join in the Patriotism training program as part of deradicalization efforts.

“We want former ISIS supporters who return from Syria to participate in the patriotism program. That is part of deradicalization. We will ‘brainwash’ them,” Antara News quoted the minister as saying at Patriotism Training and Education Center of the ministry of defense here on Wednesday.

He said training on patriotism for the former ISIS supporters would be emphasized on Pancasila state ideology implementation in national and social life.

“We will replace their ideology with Pancasila. We will make them know that Indonesia is not an Islam state but the state of religious followers. They must also know that regulations that are effective in Indonesia,” he said.

The former army chief of staff said patriotism education program will soon be included in the school curriculum and in universities as an anticipatory measure against the spread of radical ideology among school and university students.

“Patriotism is a priority program of the ministry of defense in the future. We will in the near future gather 130 university rectors to discuss campus activities,” he said.

Turkey’s ministry of home affairs announced on Saturday (July 15) that Indonesian citizens comprised the second biggest number of ISIS foreign militants caught in that country after Russians.

Of the total of 4,957 ISIS foreign militants caught in Turkey 804 were Russian and 435 Indonesian. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)