"Certainly, it will involve various stakeholders, including the government and non-government agencies. The strategy will have a framework built around preventing radical ideology from spreading in Indonesia," Tito said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The new chief of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), Inspector General Tito Karnavian, said here on Wednesday that he has formulated a strategy to overcome terrorism with the focus on prevention.

"Certainly, it will involve various stakeholders, including the government and non-government agencies. The strategy will have a framework built around preventing radical ideology from spreading in Indonesia," he said after a ceremony held to welcome the new BNPT chief and bid farewell to the former chief at the BNPT office in Sentul, Bogor, West Java.

Tito said he would first study the programs formulated by the BNPT in the past one year to see if these are adequate and in line with the concept he plans to implement.

He said he would also focus on rehabilitation and de-radicalization, targeting convicted terrorists now serving their prison terms, as well as those who have been released.

He said a special task force would be needed to carry out the two tasks.

"The special task force will carry out enforcement but will also counsel them to ensure that the concept of radicalism does not grow further," he said.

With regard to law enforcement, he said the BNPT would strengthen its capability of preempting any terror act in coordination with intelligence agencies and task forces, including IT sleuthing, intelligence information and analysis of software based information.

The BNPT will also improve its scientific investigation and law enforcement capability, he said.

"It is imperative that the BNPT improves its synergy with other stakeholders, including the police and the military, so that broad based preventive steps can be taken with a better degree of preciseness," he said.

Tito also emphasized the importance of strengthening international cooperation because terrorism has become a global problem, especially with the rise of Al Qaeda and ISIS.

The former chief of BNPT, Commissioner General Saud Usman Nasution, who passed on the baton to Tito, expressed his belief that the new chief would make the BNPT perform better in the future in view of his experience in fighting terrorism.

"It is as if he (Tito) is returning home at the BNPT because he was one of the "midwives" involved in the birth of the agency," he said.

Saud admitted that the task of the new BNPT chief would be onerous. Besides focusing on prevention programs, he would have to deal with some of the issues that remained unresolved during his term of office, including the matter of office and operational funds that are still considered inadequate.

"He already knows the problems he will be facing, and I hope he overcomes these so that the BNPT can focus on its task to prevent terrorism," he said.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated M. Tito Karnavian as the chief of the BNPT at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday. Karnavian was earlier the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Command chief.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR) Chairman Zulkifli Hasan, State Intelligence Agency Chief Sutiyoso, Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo, National Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti, and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, among others, were present at the inauguration ceremony.

On assuming the new office, Karnavian will rise to the rank of three-star general.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Inspector General Tito Karnavian is the right person to lead the BNPT as he has the relevant experience in combating terrorism.

"Karnavian is the right person with experience in working with the Anti-terror Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88)," Kalla noted.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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