Jemaah Islamiyah: Lessons From Combating Islamist Terrorism In Indonesia

Indonesia practices a unique form of syncretic Islam that embraces tolerance and pluralism, leading to a moderate form of Islam that provides a degree of resistance to radicalization. This version of Islam contrasts with the dominant policy of Saudi Arabia and some neighboring states which impose strict, conservative, and puritanical social practices. Religious doctrines of intolerance toward western values, mysticism, and variations in local practice have spread to Islamic communities in Indonesia, where terrorist groups like Jemaah Islamiyah JI have used these doctrines as a base of justification for a radicalized ideology that seeks to overthrow the state.