Jamaah Ansharut Daulah

Jemaah Anshorut Daulah is aligned with Islamic State and follows an extreme interpretation of Islam which is anti-Western, promotes sectarian violence and classifies those who do not agree with its interpretation as legitimate targets for attack. It opposes elected governments, seeking to remove them through violence if necessary.

Jemaah Anshorut Daulah is the largest pro-Islamic State group in Indonesia, acting as an umbrella organisation for Islamic State supporters. Jemaah Anshorut Daulah was formed in 2015 by Abu Bakar Ba’asyir when he and his associates from al-Qa’ida aligned group Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT) pledged allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Since pledging allegiance to Islamic State, Jemaah Anshorut Daulah has conducted increasingly violent acts to achieve its goals, including suicide bombings. Given its allegiance to Islamic State, attacks conducted by Jemaah Anshorut Daulah are often claimed by Islamic State.

For example, Jemaah Anshorut Daulah’s attacks in Surabaya and at the Indonesian Police Mobile Brigade Headquarters prison in Jakarta during May 2018 were conducted by Jemaah Anshorut Daulah but were also claimed by Islamic State. This is similar to the 2016 Thamrin and 2017 Kampang Melayu attacks that were conducted by Jemaah Anshorut Daulah and claimed by the Islamic State.

Leadership:
Terrorism prisoner Oman Rochman (also known as Aman Abdurrahman), detained in preparation for his court case for his involvement in the 2016 Jakarta bombings, remains the emir of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah, despite his continued isolation within prison limiting his ability to communicate with his followers.

Other ideologues and senior members of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah include Iman Dharmawan (also known as Rois), Zaenal Anshori and Musola Bin Rasim-all of whom have been charged for terrorism related offences in Indonesia and are currently in prison.

Membership:
The total membership of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah is unclear. Membership is susceptible to fluctuation as members may move between extremist groups, follow other ideologues or may follow the group as individuals, aligning with the Islamic State cause without officially joining the group.

The group is also a natural partner for any Indonesians wishing to travel to Syria/Iraq, deportees from the conflict zone or frustrated travellers who have been denied the opportunity to travel. Branches of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah are present across the Indonesian archipelago.

Recruitment and funding:
Local and regional recruits are drawn to Jemaah Anshorut Daulah due to their ideological support for the organisation’s objectives, including violently establishing an Islamic State under Shariah law.

Terrorism activities of Jemaah Anshorut Daulah have been funded by prominent Islamic State-aligned Indonesian extremist ideologues in Syria and Iraq, including Bahrun Naim and Bahrumsyah.

Links to other terrorist organisations:
As the primary Islamic State-aligned group in Indonesia, Jemaah Anshorut Daulah is also comprised of members who now align with the Islamic State ideology but were previously aligned with other Indonesia-based Islamist extremist groups, including Jemaah Islamiyah, Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid and Mujahidin Indonesia Timur.

Terrorist acts:
-10 October 2019: two members of the JAD were believed to have conducted the knife assault on security minister Wiranto, which resulted in Wiranto being hospitalized. Three other people, including a policeman, were stabbed and injured.
-14 May 2018: a family of five conducted a suicide bombing attack at a police station in Surabaya, East Java, wounding seven. Police also raided the residence of another individual and located a further six improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
-13 May 2018: a family of six conducted coordinated suicide bombing attacks on three churches in Surabaya, East Java, killing 13 people and wounding over 40. An IED also detonated at the residence of a second family associated with this family.
-8 May 2018: individuals detained for, or convicted of terrorism offences rioted at Kelapa Dua mobile brigade (BRIMOB) headquarters detention facility in Depok, south-west of Jakarta. The incident resulted in the deaths of five Indonesian National Police (POLRI) detachment-88 (Det 88) counter-terrorism officers.
-11 February 2018: an extremist attacked a church congregation in Yogyakarta with a sword, wounding four civilians.
-31 December 2017: an extremist threw Molotov cocktails at police in Makassar.