Indonesian police monitoring possible spread of radical groups to Batam

The Indonesian police are on the alert for the possible spread of radical groups to the Southeast Asia region, including Batam, amid the stabilising situation in the Middle East after a peace agreement between Israel and Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

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Batam, Rempang and Galang (Barelang) city police chief Zainal Arifin said the alert was reflected in several preventive measures, such as tightened supervision of migration gateways, in coordination with the Batam Immigration Office, although no specific threat was identified.

"Barelang city police are always actively conducting coordination and dialogue with the Batam regional office of the Religious Affairs Ministry, the Batam branch of Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and Batam Preachers Association," senior commissioner Zainal told The Jakarta Post on Oct 18.

"If there is any indication (of exposure to radicalism), we will work with the Religious Affairs Ministry and MUI to provide enlightenment by ulema, who have better religious knowledge."

Ulema refers to scholars of Islamic doctrine and law.