Indonesia and Australia Strengthen ASEAN Partnership on Terrorism Rehabilitation

SEAToday.com, Jakarta - Indonesia, through the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), and the Australian government are committed to strengthening ASEAN cooperation on effective rehabilitation and reintegration programs, including for Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTF) and their families.

At the ASEAN-Australia Counter-Terrorism Workshop on Good Practice Approaches for the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of FTF and Their Families on Friday (3/7), BNPT Deputy for International Cooperation Andhika Chrisnayudhanto emphasized the importance of these efforts in preventing violent extremism and terrorism.

"I hope effective rehabilitation and reintegration strategies for FTF and their families can be developed and implemented globally," said Andhika, as quoted on Antara, in an official statement from Jakarta on Thursday.

Echoing this, Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) Chief Commissioner General Wahyu Widada, who also serves as Chair of the Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) Indonesia, highlighted that the FTF phenomenon is both a regional and global challenge, including for Indonesia.

"There is a growing awareness that, sooner or later, Indonesian nationals will return home. That is why it is crucial to develop and implement strong prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration programs as a priority," Wahyu stated as quoted on Antara.

Meanwhile, Australian Ambassador to ASEAN Tiffany McDonald reaffirmed Australia's commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with ASEAN to ensure regional stability and security.

"Preventing violent extremism and terrorism through effective rehabilitation and reintegration—especially for FTF and their families—is part of a collective regional effort," she said as quoted on Antara.

The initiative requires collaboration between governments, communities, and families to build resilience and prevent recidivism.

The workshop was attended by 106 participants from nine ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam), Timor-Leste, Australia, ASEAN sectoral bodies, international organizations, and civil society groups.

Writer: Andi Raisa Malaha Thambas

This event is part of the implementation of the SOMTC–Australia Work Plan on Cooperation to Combat Transnational Crime 2022–2025 and the ASEAN Plan of Action to Prevent and Counter the Rise of Radicalisation and Violent Extremism (Bali Work Plan) 2019–2025.

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