Jemaah Islamiyah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jemaah Islamiyah |
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Jihadist flag used by Jemaah Islamiyah
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| Active | 1993–2024 |
| Ideology | Islamism Islamic fundamentalism Pan-Islamism Salafism Wahhabism Anti-Australian sentiment Anti-Christian sentiment |
| Leader | |
| Area of operations | Southeast Asia |
| Allies | |
| Opponents |  United Nations
Non-state opponents
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| Designated as a terrorist organisation by | |
United Nations European Union United States Argentina Australia Bahrain Canada Indonesia Japan Malaysia New Zealand |
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Jemaah Islamiyah (often called JI) was a group in Southeast Asia. Its name means "Islamic Congregation." The group wanted to create an Islamic state in countries like Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
After the 2002 Bali bombings, the United Nations officially called JI a terrorist group. Many countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United States, also named it a terrorist organization.
In 2021, Indonesian police reported that 876 members of JI had been arrested and sentenced. Later that year, police found out that JI was secretly working as a political party in Indonesia. This was a big surprise because it was the first time a group like this tried to join the country's political system.
Contents
How Jemaah Islamiyah Started
JI began from an older movement in Indonesia called Darul Islam. This movement was active in the 1940s during Indonesia's fight for independence.
Around 1969, two important leaders, Abu Bakar Bashir and Abdullah Sungkar, started spreading the ideas of Darul Islam. They were later put in prison by the Indonesian government.
After they were released, Bashir and his followers moved to Malaysia in 1982. They gathered new members from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Around this time, the group officially named itself Jemaah Islamiyah.
JI's Rise and Actions
Jemaah Islamiyah was officially formed on January 1, 1993. This happened while its leaders, Abu Bakar Bashir and Abdullah Sungkar, were hiding in Malaysia.
When the Indonesian government changed in 1998, both leaders returned to Indonesia. JI then became more focused on violence. One of its founders, Abdullah Sungkar, connected with Al-Qaeda, a well-known global terrorist network.
JI started its violent actions during conflicts in areas like Maluku and Poso in Indonesia. Later, the group began targeting Western interests in Southeast Asia. For example, a plan to bomb several foreign embassies in Singapore was stopped by local police.
In 2004, Abu Bakar Bashir created a group called the Indonesian Mujahedeen Council. This group aimed to connect different Islamist groups in Indonesia, including JI. JI also had connections with other militant groups like Al-Qaeda and the Abu Sayyaf Group in the Philippines.
Bashir was seen as the spiritual leader of JI, while Hambali was the military leader. JI mostly kept a low profile until the 2002 Bali bombings brought them into the public eye.
Why JI Was Called a Terrorist Group
Many countries and international groups have officially named Jemaah Islamiyah a terrorist group. These include:
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahrain
- Canada
- European Union
- Japan
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- United Nations
- United States
Major Attacks by JI
Before the first 2002 Bali bombings in October 2002, people did not fully understand how dangerous Jemaah Islamiyah was. After this attack, the U.S. State Department officially called JI a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
JI is also believed to be responsible for other major attacks. These include the 2003 JW Marriott hotel bombing, the 2004 Australian embassy bombing, the 2005 Bali bombings, and the 2009 JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotel bombings. These attacks showed that JI would even target the same places more than once.
Many important JI leaders, such as Hambali, Abu Dujana, Azahari Husin, and Noordin Top, have been caught or killed. Most of these actions were carried out by Indonesia's anti-terrorist police squad, Detachment 88.
Some former JI leaders, like Nasir Abbas, have stopped supporting violence. They have even helped the Indonesian and Malaysian governments fight terrorism.
In 2008, an Indonesian court officially declared JI an illegal organization.
What the Name Means
The name Jemaah Islamiyah means "Islamic Community" in English. Some Islamic scholars who do not agree with the group have suggested calling it Jemaah Munafiq instead, which means "Hypocrites' Community." They did this to discourage people from joining the group.
Key Events Over Time
2000s
- March 2000: Three JI members were arrested in Manila, Philippines, with explosives.
- August 2000: JI tried to assassinate the Philippine ambassador in Jakarta, Indonesia. A bomb exploded near his car, killing two people.
- September 2000: A car bomb exploded at the Jakarta Stock Exchange, killing 15 people.
- December 2000: JI took part in the Christmas Eve 2000 Indonesia bombings, a series of coordinated attacks. They were also involved in bombings in Metro Manila, Philippines, which killed 22 people.
- December 2001: Singaporean authorities stopped a JI plan to bomb several foreign embassies in Singapore.
- October 2002: The deadliest JI attack happened in Bali, Indonesia. A large car bomb killed over 202 people, mostly tourists. This event is known as the 2002 Bali bombings.
- August 2003: Hambali, a key JI military leader, was arrested in Thailand.
- May 2004: An Australian man confessed to being part of a JI plot to bomb the Israeli embassy in Canberra, Australia.
- September 2004: JI was suspected of bombing the Australian embassy in Jakarta, killing 11 Indonesians.
- October 2005: JI was also suspected of carrying out the 2005 Bali bombings.
- August 2006: Al-Qaeda announced that JI and Al-Qaeda had joined forces.
- June 2007: Abu Dujana, JI's head of military operations, was captured by Indonesian police.
- July 2009: JI was blamed for attacks on the Ritz Carlton and J.W. Marriott hotels in Jakarta.
- September 2009: Noordin Mohammad Top, a bomb maker for JI, was killed by Indonesian police.
2010s
- March 2010: Dulmatin, another important JI figure, was killed by Indonesian police.
- December 2010: Abu Bakar Bashir, JI's spiritual leader, was charged with involvement in terror plans.
- July 2019: Indonesian police arrested Para Wijayanto, who was believed to be the leader of Jemaah Islamiyah since 2007. Police then found that palm oil plantations were being used to fund the group.
2020s
- November 2020: Indonesian Police arrested Upik Lawanga, who was involved in making bombs for several terror attacks, including the 2002 Bali bombings.
- December 2020: Indonesian Police arrested Zulkarnaen, a high-ranking JI official and leader. He was believed to be behind many terror attacks.
- May 2024: A police station in Ulu Tiram, Malaysia, was attacked by a man linked to Jemaah Islamiyah. Two police officers were killed. Police later arrested the attacker's family members who were also linked to the group.
The End of Jemaah Islamiyah
On June 30, 2024, important members of Jemaah Islamiyah in Indonesia announced that the group was dissolving. They made a video statement saying that JI's leaders had agreed to end the organization and "return to Indonesia's embrace." This announcement was made by Abu Rusdan, a former JI leader, and Para Wijayanto, another key figure.
See also
- 2003 Marriott Hotel bombing
- 2004 Jakarta embassy bombing
- 2005 Bali bombings
- 2005 Indonesian beheading of Christian girls
- Azahari Husin
- Islamist terrorism
- List of designated terrorist groups
- Zulkifli Abdhir
- Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid
- Jamaah Ansharut Daulah
