Organizational History

Mujahideen KOMPAK was created in Sulawesi province as a splinter group of Jemaah Islamiya (JI) members who are focused on a more hard line approach to creating an autonomous Islamic government in Indonesia. KOMPAK is an acronym which stands for Komite Aksi Penanggulangan Akibat Krisis and translates as Action Committee for Crisis Response. The group often trains and provides arms to villagers in direct opposition to government forces. Acting typically as a force to encourage local villagers to take up arms against government installations and various Christian groups in the region, the group is well-trained in international training camps and is considered “leaner, meaner, and quicker” than JI, its parent group. Similar to JI, Mujahideen KOMPAK also refuses to recognize the Indonesian state as legitimate.

In the mid-1990s, Jemaah Islamiya member Arismunandar, established Mujahideen KOMPAK through the charity group of the same name, KOMPAK, in order to facilitate the funding and logistical support of jihadi activities. KOMPAK is a legitimate aid organization created to provide financial assistance to Muslims affected by natural disasters and conflict-related displacement. The group is also known for providing funding and weaponry to Muslim terrorist groups in the region, allegedly with the aid of al Qaeda affiliates.[2] In June 1999, Zulkarnaen, the head of military operations for Jemaah Islamiya, held a meeting for former Afghanistan mujahideen in Solo. The group made the decision to send a group of jihadis to a three-month long training camp to instruct the Mujahideen KOMPAK members on paramilitary skills and religious guidance. 

Structure

The group has no organized structure, although they are well known for their ability to quickly mobilize extensive affiliates and group members when faced with an immediate threat or mission.

Arsenal

In a raid in January 2004, police forces discovered more than forty bombs, homemade handguns, and ammunition in a raid on a Mujahideen KOMPAK.  

Funding

During sectarian clashes in Poso, Indonesia in 2000, JI arranged for oil company workers to raise funds which were subsequently directed through the legitimate fundraising organization, KOMPAK, to both Mujahideen KOMPAK and JI.[3] Both organizations were concerned with receiving equal portions of the funds, so an auditor was assigned to manage the transfer. This process served to deteriorate the constructive working relationship among the separate groups.

Recruitment

One of the most important aspects of the link between JI and Mujahideen KOMPAK is the latter group’s ability to radicalize local Muslims, and increase the power of jihadi forces, in line with JI’s goal of establishing an Islamic state. The group is adept at recruiting local Muslims to fight for the group’s mission, although some initial recruits were found to be preman, or thugs, who prioritized criminal-related activities over their dedication to Islam.[2] Mujahideen KOMPAK members have been trained in militant camps in Afghanistan and the Philippines which increased their recruiting opportunities among foreign populations.  

Tactics

Mujahidin KOMPAK members are responsible for a series of attacks against Christian neighborhoods and churches in Central Sulawesi over the past years. They also target security forces, often in concert with affiliated groups. Additionally, the group has been known to engage in armed conflicts with rival Islamic separatist groups. These rivals are often blamed, and made victims, by security forces or neighboring communities for attacks which Mujahideen KOMPAK had actually committed.

Gallery

References

1. Gerakan Rp 5.000 untuk Agus Dwikarna. (2010, July 26). Tribunnews.com. Retrieved from [1] on December 12, 2011.
2. International Crisis Group. (2004, February 3). Indonesia backgrounder: Jihad in Central Sulawesi. ICG Asia Report, 74. Retrieved from [2]
3. Schonhardt, S. (2010, January 14). Indonesia pulls new strings to tackle terror. Asia Times. Retrieved from [3] on December 12, 2011.
4. Terror topdog convicted. (2011, June 18). Money Jihad. Retrieved from [4] on December 12, 2011.
5. Context of 'October 24, 2002: US and UN Declare Jemaah Islamiyah a Terrorist Organization'. History Commons. Retrieved from [5] on December 12, 2011.