Former Jemaah Islamiyah Leader Joins Independence Day Ceremony

TheIndonesia.co - Former leader of terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) Abu Bakar Ba'asyir joined the flag-raising ceremony to commemorate Indonesian Independence Day on August 17.

Ba’asyir attended the ceremony which was held at Pondok Pesantren (Islamic boarding school) Al Mukmin Ngruki in Sukoharjo, Central Java.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy led the ceremony at the pesantren which was founded by Ba'asyir.

“This ceremony is held to show our gratitude for Indonesia’s independence which means we hold onto unity,” Effendy said during his speech.

He also called for all students to equally possess religious and general knowledge to make them the strong future leaders of Indonesia.

One of Al Mukmin Ngruki’s founders Ba'asyir was a former terror convict and leader of JI. After being charged with terrorism in June 2011, he was released from prison on January 8, 2021.

Ba'asyir was known to be against national ideology Pancasila and saluting the national flag.

He was involved in a number of attacks in Indonesia, including the 2002 Bali bombings and Marriott Hotel bombing in Jakarta in 2003.

Al Mukmin Ngruki’s director Yahya said flag-raising ceremony had been regularly held at the Islamic boarding school, but management invited the Coordinating Minister to the special occasion to show that the school is a part of Indonesia.