Suicide Bombing Involving Children, a Lesson Learned: Cabinet Secretary

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung explains terrorism attacks in Surabaya, at his office, Jakarta, Tuesday (15/5) morning (Photo: Human Relations Division/Rahmat).

Cabinet Secretary (Seskab) Pramono Anung conveyed that suicide bombing in several places in Surabaya, on Sunday (13/5) and Monday (14/5) involving families (father, mother, and children) has showed us that terrorist attacks might came from everywhere and been carried out by anyone.

“We learn a lesson that terrorism might be carried out by anyone. Not by poor, uneducated people anymore, but by middle class, rich, educated people,” Seskab said at his office, Jakarta, on Tuesday (15/5) morning.

In the past time, there were no children and women involved in terrorism, Seskab further said, but as the effect of brainwashing or misunderstanding a wrong concept they become a terrorist family. “Once again, terrorist threats might came from anywhere, and we must be aware of it,” Seskab explained.

Previously, Chief of Indonesian National Police General Tito Karnavian in a press conference in Surabaya, on Monday (14/5), stated that suicide bombings happened in three churches in Surabaya, Sidoarjo Rusunawa (low cost apartment building), and Surabaya Police Resort (Polres) office, carried out by a man involving his wife and children.

The attacks at three churches in Surabaya were carried out by a family, namely Dita Supriyanto (father) at a Pentecostal Church, Puji Kuswati (mother) with FS and FR (children) at a Catholic Church and Yusuf Fadil and FH (children) at Indonesian Presbyterian Church. Meanwhile, a bombing at Sidoarjo Rusunawa involved Anton Ferdiantono (father), Puspita Sari (mother), and HAR, AR, FP, and GHA (children); while at Surabaya Polres Office involved Tri Murtiono (father) Tri Ermawati (mother), AAP, MDS, and MDAM (children).

Concerning children in the terrorist attacks, Seskab Pramono Anung uttered, it is the time for us to undertake a deradicalization program for early childhood age. “From elementary school, as the concept might threat elementary school children,” Seskab said while adding that deradicalization program is the Government responsibility. (DNA/ES) (EPI/YM/Naster)