Inside the Terrorist Mind

(11/9/2009)

Nasir Abbas, a Malaysian former jihadist of the radical Jamal Islamiyah Movement spoke in Bali on October 31, 2009, providing insights into the workings and concepts of the group blamed for a series of terrorist attacks across Indonesia.

Speaking at a meeting convened by the Bali branch of the Association to Prevent Crime in Indonesia (LCKI) held at the Hotel Nikki in Denpasar, Abbas said that to truly understand terrorism we must examine not just its actions, but also its style and the content of its messages. Citing examples, Abbas pointed to terrorists' justification of murder and bombing, refusal to mix with local populations, or strange behavior such as entering a room via the window. In order to understand the terrorist, he explained, "terrorists cannot only viewed from their physical aspects, but must also be evaluated from the content of their speech".

In preventing terrorist attacks, public awareness has proven successful in alerting officials to strangers with peculiar personal habits who suddenly appear in local communities. And, according to the former radical, the threat of bombs and terrorists while reduced, cannot be completely eliminated in Bali due the concentration of Americans, Australians and their allies that make the island an attractive target for terrorist.

Quick to condemn his former colleagues, Nasir said bombers are inhumane individuals when viewed from the perspective of any religion. He said their actions are cruel and have claimed the lives of many innocents.

Quoted in Radar Bali, Nasir said that while those who made Bali the target of the first bomb are now dead, such acts can reoccur at the hands of those who survive Dr. Azhari and Noordin M. Top. He cautioned that while no one has stepped into the shoes of Noordin and Azhri, there is an individuals whose ambition is to do so.

Because of this, he warned the people of Bali to pay special attention to their surroundings and make a point of getting to know their neighbors. He underlined that those who desire to perform future acts of terror have a perverted and incorrect understanding of their religious faith.

He went on to explain how JI continues to use family-based networks to recruit future bombers. The power of JI's message and global issues such as bombing in Palestine and Israel can all contribute to aiding the recruitment drive for new suicide bombers.

The one-time JI leader who now assists Indonesian police in tracking terrorist bombers, is able to maintain contacts in fundamentalist circles despite being branded a traitor by his former murderous colleagues.