Abdullah Sunata and Presidential Attack

By Taufik Andrie

Abstract

Military training in Aceh conducted by Al Qaeda Serambi Mekah has vanished by number of raid in Aceh, Medan, Jakarta and some other places in Java. Several prominent jihadist figures captured and went to trial. Abdullah Sunata, – an important leader of KOMPAK, one of groups which were endorsing of Aceh military training – allegedly was planning a strategic attack against presidential palace in Jakarta.

Sunata’s roles may not as important as Dulmatin alias Yahya Ibrahim or even Luthfi Haedaroh aka Ubeid aka Jakfar, whom apparently appointed as a hub for all tanzhim (group) leader and also as a treasury for the Aceh military training. Sunata’s roles were only small regarding to his statement at the court and also others convicted testimonies later this year.

Based on various researches, Sunata has capability and experiences to conduct military training like what he did in Seram island in Maluku under KOMPAK. But he seems has not had the opportunity to take full obligation as a person in charge on lintas tanzhim project in Aceh.

This paper is intended to take objective measurements on Sunata’s roles and his chances to carry out attack against presidential palace. Is it possible for Sunata to create such a dangerous attack considering the latest situation in which their forces have been dismantled? Will it make any sense, without enough resources, for Sunata and his small group to attack the highly secured presidential palace and believed that they can win the battle?

This paper was written while Sunata still at large. Sunata have been arrested and punished 10 year imprisonment. But Sunata’s roles remain still the same within lintas tanzhim in Aceh military training. His presence as a new leader of lintas tanzhim cannot be proven. And the plan to attack the presidential palace apparently is a kind of deception, never applied during Sunata’s court.

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