Indonesian Workers in Syria is believed to 'join ISIS'

Indonesian Workers in Syria is believed to 'join ISIS'

It is estimated that of the approximately 8,000 migrant workers in Syria, most of them believed to be joined by ISIS.

Most of the approximately 8,000 Indonesian workers who work in Syria is believed to have supported and joined the militant group Islamic State or ISIS, an official statement said Indonesian Manpower.

"I'm sure there are among some of them are also becoming sympathizers ISIS," said Head of the National Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers, BNP2TKI, Nusron Wahid, told the BBC Indonesian, Heyder Affan, Sunday (15/03) evening.

National Agency for Combating Terrorism, BNPT previously been revealed there were about 500 citizens who have joined the ISIS in Syria in many ways, including through sending workers.

Before rocked by armed conflict, it is estimated there are about 30,000 workers who work in Syria, but later the number dwindled to about 8,000 people after most had been evacuated, said Nusron.

The Indonesian government, he said, so far not been able to identify who migrant workers in Syria who have joined the ISIS.

"Because we have not been able to mentracking (track) where they are," said Wahid Nusron.

Concerns flood Indonesian citizen support for ISIS reappear after the exposure of 16 citizens who 'disappeared' in Turkey and the arrest of 16 other citizen by Turkish authorities for trying to cross into Syria.

BNPT: strengthen supervision

Meanwhile, the National Counter-Terrorism Agency, BNPT said, it requested that all relevant authorities such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, and in order to further tighten BNP2TKI "basic purpose" the departure of Indonesian workers abroad.

"Our hope is no stronger legal coordination," said a spokesman BNPT, Irfan Idris told the BBC Indonesia, Sunday (15/03) night.

This he emphasized because it did find a variety of new modes made citizen to join the ISIS in Syria.

"There are going tour (tour), and could be a reason to go abroad to study at the famous school and emigrated (to Syria) or through a fake passport," said Irfan Idris.

To the travel agents abroad, BNPT also requested that they reinforce the standard operating procedure following the 'disappearance' 16 citizens in Turkey are suspected of joining militant groups in Syria ISIS.

Findings BNPT mentioned, citizens who joined ISIS using various modes, including the reason the study, a false passport, to join tours to Turkey.

"A travel (travel agents) who will dispatch citizen, regardless of the purpose, dispatched 30 people, then it should also dare to restore 30 people by making statements and guarantees," said Irfan Idris.

He was worried, if the travel agent is not able to do so, the case of 'loss' 16 citizens in Turkey "will be repeated."

"Even they (unexpected citizens who join ISIS) will form a travel agency," he said.

Previously, the association of travel agents said they could not do anything because the participants travel tour has met the requirements.

Association of Indonesian Travel Company (ASITA) states, they asked the government to clamp down on the applicant's passport and investigating suspicious persons.

Supervise formal workers in the Middle East

Unknown background jobs of the workers in Syria are believed to join ISIS, but BNP2TKI said it will tighten oversight of self-employment and formal workers, especially in the Middle East.

"If the self-employed 'their right to freely leave and visa without government monitors," said Nusron Wahid, head of BNP2TKI.

"Well, models like this (formal workers or independent), we should be suspicious," he added.

This monitoring effort will be made, he added, based on "the number of Indonesian workers who spread join the existing range of motion."

For this reason, he said, the workers were required formal or self-reported "whom the employer and the agency".

The Indonesian government will oversee the formal workers or independent because during the "escape" of supervision.

"To be found out whether the employer or the agency concerned and are tied directly or indirectly with ISIS," said Nusron.

As for the workers who are sent through a delivery service company, BNP2TKI will optimize the final debriefing mechanisms of departure (PAP) and welcoming placement programs in the country.

"By incorporating legal and national values, so that the objective work and is not affected trans-national movement that does not fit the parameters and corridor ideology of our country," he said.

This he stressed, because it several times received the request of Indonesian workers from an agency that "the agency is not registered and not terselektif in information systems and listing agencies list commonly asked migrant workers".

Indonesian foreign ministry ensure that the 16 citizens who were arrested by the Turkish authorities not 16 citizens who declared 'lost' in the country.

"They are from different groups," said Director of the Protection of Indonesian Citizens and Legal Entities Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then Muhammad Iqbal, told the BBC Indonesian, Heyder Affan, Friday (13/03) morning.

"They went to Turkey with independent, not using a travel agent," he said.

According to Iqbal, 16 Indonesians are aiming to Syria through the Turkish border, but it is not certain whether they will be joined by ISIS.

"From the recognition of one of them, they are going to Turkey. We are still studying the extent of their relationship with ISIS," said Iqbal.

Information obtained by the Foreign Ministry said, they comprise a grown man, four women and 11 children. They come from three families.

Of the 16 men, said Iqbal, only five people who have a passport. "They are subject to clause violated the Immigration Act of Turkey," said Iqbal.

Foreign Ministry and the relevant authorities are still studying the identity and background of the citizen 16.

The Turkish government says 16 Indonesians were arrested in the city of Gaziantep, located near the Turkish-Syrian border.

Turkey entrance to Syria

Previously, 16 other Indonesians declared 'missing' in Turkey after the split from the group tours on 25 February.

The Indonesian government said they allegedly intended to cross into Syria through the Turkish border to join ISIS. But this was denied by the family of the 16 citizens who lost.

Earlier, the National Counter-Terrorism Agency said a number of citizen support ISIS has been used as an entrance to Turkey into Syria.

They are from different groups ... They went to Turkey with independent, not using a travel agent.

Director of the Agency for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens and Legal Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then Muhammad Iqbal.

Until December 2014 the Indonesian authorities have foiled at least two cases of a number of citizen efforts to join the ISIS in Syria, but according to all the BNPT not detected.

In mid-2014, BNPT has mewacanakan to revoke their status WNIterhadap leaving or joining ISIS in Syria, but this proposal does not continue.

Indonesia has officially rejected the ideology promoted militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, aka ISIS and prohibit the development of ideology in Indonesia. BBC