Indonesia has been highly successful in curbing terrorism on its soil since the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings. As it grapples with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), it has many tools at its disposal to contain and drain support from this newly emerging security threat.

In an interview with Khabar Southeast Asia, National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) staff expert Sri Yunanto explains the comprehensive approach the nation is using to root out violent extremism.

Khabar: Law enforcement is one strategy to crack down on ISIS. Does BNPT also take a soft approach?

Sri Yunanto (SY): We have deradicalisation programmes which include rehabilitation. We visit prisons to conduct dialogues or for evaluation. We bring ulemas from the Middle East for dialogue and to rectify [prisoners'] thoughts. We take care of the victims and former [combatants] to reintegrate to society while we also assess society's readiness. We also conduct economic rehabilitation: essentially, we empower them with skills .

Khabar: How many ISIS followers are in Indonesia? Do you think its influence in Indonesia is strong, and should we be concerned about those ranks swelling?

SY: That's an overstatement. What defines a follower? The majority now oppose (ISIS). There are various levels of followers. There are those who support but have not pledged allegiance. There are also those are imprisoned. The more concrete ones have secretly undergone military training, although there are not many of them. There are also those who openly declare support, but their numbers are limited. I believe it's about 10 to 20 thousand, and they are spread unevenly in various places.

But that was before the government took a firm stance , and their number has reduced now. Even the public is now against it. For instance, there are mosques, such as the ones in Bekasi used by ISIS supporters, that have been taken over by moderate groups.

Our problem is that we don't have a legal mechanism to detain people who pledge allegiance or declare support. The police can only detain those who have evident links to terrorism.

Khabar: Is ISIS a terrorist organisation?

SY: Yes, Indonesia acknowledges it as such. They are like al- Qaeda, but are more focused by declaring a caliphate to the world. Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) has the same goal, but takes a different path. HTI is against violent measures. That's why they denounce ISIS.

Khabar: Any community effort to disengage Indonesian citizens from ISIS?

SY: We can start by establishing contact with people in the [radical] groups' inner circles. Deradicalisation in ideology has actually been working on various levels. There were some who would previously resort to violence, but now they don't want to do that anymore. There were those who aimed to establish an Islamic state , but now they are okay with sharia, thematic laws, even though they may lose the battle in the Constitutional Court.

Deradicalisation isn't the only process. It works concurrently with other efforts, such as taking care of their children, providing them with scholarships to instill the idea that the state is good. So those who were unaware become aware. People with radical ideology are not always radical all the time. Maybe they are just unaware of the idea of moderate Islam . They will have options to choose. BNPT is drafting a blueprint for that.