Back
About RSIS
Introduction
Building the Foundations
Welcome Message
Board of Governors
Staff Profiles
Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
Dean’s Office
Management
Distinguished Fellows
Faculty and Research
Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
Visiting Fellows
Adjunct Fellows
Administrative Staff
Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
RSIS Endowment Fund
Endowed Professorships
Career Opportunities
Getting to RSIS
Research
Research Centres
Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
Centre of Excellence for National Security
Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
Research Programmes
National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)
Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
Other Research
Future Issues and Technology Cluster
Research@RSIS
Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
Graduate Education
Graduate Programmes Office
Exchange Partners and Programmes
How to Apply
Financial Assistance
Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
RSIS Alumni
Outreach
Global Networks
About Global Networks
RSIS Alumni
Executive Education
About Executive Education
SRP Executive Programme
Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
International Programmes
About International Programmes
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)
International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
Publications
RSIS Publications
Annual Reviews
Books
Bulletins and Newsletters
RSIS Commentary Series
Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
Commemorative / Event Reports
Future Issues
IDSS Papers
Interreligious Relations
Monographs
NTS Insight
Policy Reports
Working Papers
External Publications
Authored Books
Journal Articles
Edited Books
Chapters in Edited Books
Policy Reports
Working Papers
Op-Eds
Glossary of Abbreviations
Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
RSIS Publications for the Year
External Publications for the Year
Media
Cohesive Societies
Sustainable Security
Other Resource Pages
News Releases
Speeches
Video/Audio Channel
External Podcasts
Events
Contact Us
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University
  • About RSIS
      IntroductionBuilding the FoundationsWelcome MessageBoard of GovernorsHonours and Awards for RSIS Staff and StudentsRSIS Endowment FundEndowed ProfessorshipsCareer OpportunitiesGetting to RSIS
      Staff ProfilesExecutive Deputy Chairman’s OfficeDean’s OfficeManagementDistinguished FellowsFaculty and ResearchAssociate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research AnalystsVisiting FellowsAdjunct FellowsAdministrative Staff
  • Research
      Research CentresCentre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)Centre of Excellence for National SecurityInstitute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      Research ProgrammesNational Security Studies Programme (NSSP)Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      Other ResearchFuture Issues and Technology ClusterResearch@RSISScience and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      Graduate Programmes OfficeExchange Partners and ProgrammesHow to ApplyFinancial AssistanceMeet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other eventsRSIS Alumni
  • Outreach
      Global NetworksAbout Global NetworksRSIS Alumni
      Executive EducationAbout Executive EducationSRP Executive ProgrammeTerrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
      International ProgrammesAbout International ProgrammesAsia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
  • Publications
      RSIS PublicationsAnnual ReviewsBooksBulletins and NewslettersRSIS Commentary SeriesCounter Terrorist Trends and AnalysesCommemorative / Event ReportsFuture IssuesIDSS PapersInterreligious RelationsMonographsNTS InsightPolicy ReportsWorking Papers
      External PublicationsAuthored BooksJournal ArticlesEdited BooksChapters in Edited BooksPolicy ReportsWorking PapersOp-Eds
      Glossary of AbbreviationsPolicy-relevant Articles Given RSIS AwardRSIS Publications for the YearExternal Publications for the Year
  • Media
      Cohesive SocietiesSustainable SecurityOther Resource PagesNews ReleasesSpeechesVideo/Audio ChannelExternal Podcasts
  • Events
  • Contact Us
    • Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
      rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
      rsis.sg
      rsissg
      RSIS
      RSS
      Subscribe to RSIS Publications
      Subscribe to RSIS Events

      Getting to RSIS

      Nanyang Technological University
      Block S4, Level B3,
      50 Nanyang Avenue,
      Singapore 639798

      Click here for direction to RSIS

      Get in Touch

    Connect
    Search
    • RSIS
    • Publication
    • RSIS Publications
    • 20 Years of JI: Role of Govt-Community Partnership
    • Annual Reviews
    • Books
    • Bulletins and Newsletters
    • RSIS Commentary Series
    • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
    • Commemorative / Event Reports
    • Future Issues
    • IDSS Papers
    • Interreligious Relations
    • Monographs
    • NTS Insight
    • Policy Reports
    • Working Papers

    CO21179 | 20 Years of JI: Role of Govt-Community Partnership
    Mohamed Bin Ali

    16 December 2021

    download pdf

    SYNOPSIS

    On the 20th anniversary of the discovery of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) in Singapore, it is timely to recount the learning points in government-community partnership in counter-terrorism rehabilitation.


    Source: Pixabay

    COMMENTARY

    IN DECEMBER 2001, Singapore uncovered the Al-Qaeda-linked regional terrorist organisation, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), operating in the country. Thirteen JI members were arrested for their plan to launch attacks in Singapore, with more arrests made in 2002.

    Apart from the objective of immediately curbing JI activities, a softer approach was also undertaken to achieve the longer-term goal of enhancing relations between the Muslim community, the authorities and the wider Singaporean society. Why has this softer approach been taken? And what are the principles behind the government-community initiatives to effect a road map for rehabilitation and counter-extremism?

    The JI Plan in Singapore

    JI came to the attention of Southeast Asian governments after 9/11. The Singapore JI cell was part of a larger JI network that spanned several countries in Southeast Asia and extending to Australia.

    It started out as an informal class on religion in the late 1980s under the leadership of a self-taught teacher Ibrahim Maidin. Gradually, JI evolved into a militant organisation due to the exposure of its leaders, including Ibrahim Maidin, to the jihad environment in Afghanistan during the Soviet-Afghan war.

    JI envisions the establishment of an Islamic state for a system of governance aligned to the tenets of Islam. In line with this ambition, JI planned to create animosity and distrust between Muslim Malaysians and non-Muslim Singaporeans, thus precipitating communal strife that would unite the Muslims in Singapore and Malaysia. This, in JI’s plan, would ease the path for the establishment of a pan Islamic Caliphate in Southeast Asia.

    To facilitate this aspiration, they planned to attack the water pipelines at the Causeway and represent these as acts of aggression by the Malaysian government to create tensions between Singapore and Malaysia.

    They also recognised Singapore as allies and supporters of regimes perceived as unfriendly to Islam, particularly the United States and Israel. Towards this end, several sites of US interest were targeted.

    For example, JI planned to use truck bombs to attack the US and Israeli embassies, commercial buildings housing US firms, and a shuttle bus that conveyed US military personnel and their families in the Sembawang area to Yishun MRT station.

    Government-Community Partnership

    After the first wave of arrests, the Singapore government realised that the deep-seated motivation behind the planned attacks was religious in nature. As such, detention alone would not be enough as long as their radical religious beliefs remained   unchallenged.

    The government acknowledged that religious issues were sensitive matters. Hence, to effect long-term rehabilitation and disrupt the chain of JI indoctrination amongst family, friends and the wider Muslim community, their ideology had to be contested by the religious experts.

    This was because while operational enforcements came under the government’s responsibility, countering JI’s ideology ought to be helmed by Muslim community leaders themselves due to the religious underpinnings.

    Muslim leaders and scholars were in the best position to guide and engage their community given their influence and religious authority. When approached by the government, the Muslim religious scholars confirmed the interpretation and concepts espoused by JI to be out of step with mainstream Islamic teachings.

    For example, killing innocent people, including non-Muslims, in the belief that the attackers would die as syahid or martyrs was misguided. This was not an act of jihad as it would go against the Islamic principle of the sanctity of life and life preservation.

    Winning Trust

    The government and Muslim leaders knew that to ensure rehabilitation and counter -extremism efforts got off on the right footing, they needed to gain the trust of the community. The first step was to form a collective body of religious experts and eminent local Muslim scholars for authority and authenticity.

    Religious leaders like the late Ustaz Syed Ahmad Semait, the late Ustaz Ahmad Sondhaji Mohamad and Ustaz Mohamad Rais, among others, were consulted to guide the process of producing a rehabilitation manual for rehabilitating the JI detainees. The manual would prove to be instrumental in countering the JI ideology.

    Secondly, a volunteer body comprising selected religious teachers was formed; it later became known as the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG). The nature of RRG as a voluntary body was crucial as it suggested independence from the government. By appealing to the community to raise funds for its activities, RRG extended a sense of ownership and collective responsibility to the community.

    Even with careful deliberation to build trust, these leaders and teachers faced suspicions and doubts about their motivations. For instance, many of the detainees had considered foreign scholars and preachers as superior to their local counterparts.

    Nonetheless, the counsellors persevered, equipped with their newly-acquired counselling skills, counselling manual and a Prophetic example to win hearts by modelling good character in the face of resistance. Their efforts to win the confidence and trust was supported by the detainees’ case officers and the Aftercare Group (ACG) which gave support to the detainees’ family members.

    Outcomes of Partnership

    Twenty years on, 52 out of 56 detainees have been released and have since reintegrated well into society. Many of them spoke well of their counsellors and case officers, reforming their belief that detention was a negative experience. Their families have also progressed in their lives.

    Global counter-terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman of Georgetown University recognised the importance of including the family of detainees in counter-radicalisation programmes. As he put it:

    “The path-breaking work of Singapore’s RRG provides a model and inspiration for counter-radicalisation efforts everywhere. The RRG’s outreach efforts not only to radicals but to their families are a seminal example of the most innovative and novel approaches to addressing this phenomenon.”

    The Singapore model of government-community partnership shows that counter-terrorism efforts can be enhanced through underlying principles of trust and synergy. There are at least four related issues.

    These include (1) looking at the threat of terrorism as a national problem; (2) customising approaches according to needs, for example, the participation of religious scholars; (3) addressing trust issues as a cornerstone, for example, when secular elements (like government) need to be mixed with sensitive religious issues; and (4) aiming to win hearts by addressing the psychological and physical needs of the detainees and their family members.

    Whole-of-Community Approach

    In summary, successful prevention of terrorism requires dialogue and cooperation between the government and an array of non-governmental actors — a “whole-of-community” approach. The broader community and the private sector should be seen by government as stakeholders and partners in preventing and countering terrorism of all persuasions.

    The emergence of violent religiously-motivated groups is not an excuse to isolate or withdraw the rights of the religious communities in question. Instead, it is an opportunity to enhance and reintegrate such groups into mainstream society.

    As Bruce Hoffman added about Singapore’s counter-terrorism approach in the unfolding story of a secular government and the Muslim community in Singapore:

    “……most importantly, it proves that there is no war on Islam, as the radicals often claim, and that communities can indeed co-exist peacefully and harmoniously.”

    About the Author

    Mohamed Bin Ali is Assistant Professor with the Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He is also Vice-Chairman of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG).

    Categories: RSIS Commentary Series / Country and Region Studies / International Politics and Security / Regionalism and Multilateralism / Religion in Contemporary Society / Singapore and Homeland Security / East Asia and Asia Pacific / South Asia / Southeast Asia and ASEAN / Global
    comments powered by Disqus

    SYNOPSIS

    On the 20th anniversary of the discovery of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) in Singapore, it is timely to recount the learning points in government-community partnership in counter-terrorism rehabilitation.


    Source: Pixabay

    COMMENTARY

    IN DECEMBER 2001, Singapore uncovered the Al-Qaeda-linked regional terrorist organisation, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), operating in the country. Thirteen JI members were arrested for their plan to launch attacks in Singapore, with more arrests made in 2002.

    Apart from the objective of immediately curbing JI activities, a softer approach was also undertaken to achieve the longer-term goal of enhancing relations between the Muslim community, the authorities and the wider Singaporean society. Why has this softer approach been taken? And what are the principles behind the government-community initiatives to effect a road map for rehabilitation and counter-extremism?

    The JI Plan in Singapore

    JI came to the attention of Southeast Asian governments after 9/11. The Singapore JI cell was part of a larger JI network that spanned several countries in Southeast Asia and extending to Australia.

    It started out as an informal class on religion in the late 1980s under the leadership of a self-taught teacher Ibrahim Maidin. Gradually, JI evolved into a militant organisation due to the exposure of its leaders, including Ibrahim Maidin, to the jihad environment in Afghanistan during the Soviet-Afghan war.

    JI envisions the establishment of an Islamic state for a system of governance aligned to the tenets of Islam. In line with this ambition, JI planned to create animosity and distrust between Muslim Malaysians and non-Muslim Singaporeans, thus precipitating communal strife that would unite the Muslims in Singapore and Malaysia. This, in JI’s plan, would ease the path for the establishment of a pan Islamic Caliphate in Southeast Asia.

    To facilitate this aspiration, they planned to attack the water pipelines at the Causeway and represent these as acts of aggression by the Malaysian government to create tensions between Singapore and Malaysia.

    They also recognised Singapore as allies and supporters of regimes perceived as unfriendly to Islam, particularly the United States and Israel. Towards this end, several sites of US interest were targeted.

    For example, JI planned to use truck bombs to attack the US and Israeli embassies, commercial buildings housing US firms, and a shuttle bus that conveyed US military personnel and their families in the Sembawang area to Yishun MRT station.

    Government-Community Partnership

    After the first wave of arrests, the Singapore government realised that the deep-seated motivation behind the planned attacks was religious in nature. As such, detention alone would not be enough as long as their radical religious beliefs remained   unchallenged.

    The government acknowledged that religious issues were sensitive matters. Hence, to effect long-term rehabilitation and disrupt the chain of JI indoctrination amongst family, friends and the wider Muslim community, their ideology had to be contested by the religious experts.

    This was because while operational enforcements came under the government’s responsibility, countering JI’s ideology ought to be helmed by Muslim community leaders themselves due to the religious underpinnings.

    Muslim leaders and scholars were in the best position to guide and engage their community given their influence and religious authority. When approached by the government, the Muslim religious scholars confirmed the interpretation and concepts espoused by JI to be out of step with mainstream Islamic teachings.

    For example, killing innocent people, including non-Muslims, in the belief that the attackers would die as syahid or martyrs was misguided. This was not an act of jihad as it would go against the Islamic principle of the sanctity of life and life preservation.

    Winning Trust

    The government and Muslim leaders knew that to ensure rehabilitation and counter -extremism efforts got off on the right footing, they needed to gain the trust of the community. The first step was to form a collective body of religious experts and eminent local Muslim scholars for authority and authenticity.

    Religious leaders like the late Ustaz Syed Ahmad Semait, the late Ustaz Ahmad Sondhaji Mohamad and Ustaz Mohamad Rais, among others, were consulted to guide the process of producing a rehabilitation manual for rehabilitating the JI detainees. The manual would prove to be instrumental in countering the JI ideology.

    Secondly, a volunteer body comprising selected religious teachers was formed; it later became known as the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG). The nature of RRG as a voluntary body was crucial as it suggested independence from the government. By appealing to the community to raise funds for its activities, RRG extended a sense of ownership and collective responsibility to the community.

    Even with careful deliberation to build trust, these leaders and teachers faced suspicions and doubts about their motivations. For instance, many of the detainees had considered foreign scholars and preachers as superior to their local counterparts.

    Nonetheless, the counsellors persevered, equipped with their newly-acquired counselling skills, counselling manual and a Prophetic example to win hearts by modelling good character in the face of resistance. Their efforts to win the confidence and trust was supported by the detainees’ case officers and the Aftercare Group (ACG) which gave support to the detainees’ family members.

    Outcomes of Partnership

    Twenty years on, 52 out of 56 detainees have been released and have since reintegrated well into society. Many of them spoke well of their counsellors and case officers, reforming their belief that detention was a negative experience. Their families have also progressed in their lives.

    Global counter-terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman of Georgetown University recognised the importance of including the family of detainees in counter-radicalisation programmes. As he put it:

    “The path-breaking work of Singapore’s RRG provides a model and inspiration for counter-radicalisation efforts everywhere. The RRG’s outreach efforts not only to radicals but to their families are a seminal example of the most innovative and novel approaches to addressing this phenomenon.”

    The Singapore model of government-community partnership shows that counter-terrorism efforts can be enhanced through underlying principles of trust and synergy. There are at least four related issues.

    These include (1) looking at the threat of terrorism as a national problem; (2) customising approaches according to needs, for example, the participation of religious scholars; (3) addressing trust issues as a cornerstone, for example, when secular elements (like government) need to be mixed with sensitive religious issues; and (4) aiming to win hearts by addressing the psychological and physical needs of the detainees and their family members.

    Whole-of-Community Approach

    In summary, successful prevention of terrorism requires dialogue and cooperation between the government and an array of non-governmental actors — a “whole-of-community” approach. The broader community and the private sector should be seen by government as stakeholders and partners in preventing and countering terrorism of all persuasions.

    The emergence of violent religiously-motivated groups is not an excuse to isolate or withdraw the rights of the religious communities in question. Instead, it is an opportunity to enhance and reintegrate such groups into mainstream society.

    As Bruce Hoffman added about Singapore’s counter-terrorism approach in the unfolding story of a secular government and the Muslim community in Singapore:

    “……most importantly, it proves that there is no war on Islam, as the radicals often claim, and that communities can indeed co-exist peacefully and harmoniously.”

    About the Author

    Mohamed Bin Ali is Assistant Professor with the Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He is also Vice-Chairman of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG).

    Categories: RSIS Commentary Series / Country and Region Studies / International Politics and Security / Regionalism and Multilateralism / Religion in Contemporary Society / Singapore and Homeland Security

    Popular Links

    About RSISResearch ProgrammesGraduate EducationPublicationsEventsAdmissionsCareersVideo/Audio ChannelRSIS Intranet

    Connect with Us

    rsis.ntu
    rsis_ntu
    rsisntu
    rsisvideocast
    school/rsis-ntu
    rsis.sg
    rsissg
    RSIS
    RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    Getting to RSIS

    Nanyang Technological University
    Block S4, Level B3,
    50 Nanyang Avenue,
    Singapore 639798

    Click here for direction to RSIS

    Get in Touch

      Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
      Privacy Statement / Terms of Use
      Help us improve

        Rate your experience with this website
        123456
        Not satisfiedVery satisfied
        What did you like?
        0/255 characters
        What can be improved?
        0/255 characters
        Your email
        Please enter a valid email.
        Thank you for your feedback.
        This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
        OK
        Latest Book
        more info