Empowered by Extremes: Indonesian Women In Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) & Jemaah Ansharut Daulat (JAD)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70710/sitj.v2i4.76Keywords:
Indonesian Women, Jamaah Anshorut Daulat, Jamaah Islamiyah, Radicalization, TerrorismAbstract
This study examines the evolving roles of Indonesian women within terrorist networks, focusing on Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD). Using Moghaddam's Staircase to Terrorism model and Riyanta's shortcut to terrorism model, this study analyzes how women's radicalization progresses through both gradual psychological and ideological processes and accelerated digital exposure. Data were drawn from secondary sources, including academic articles and case studies of Indonesian female extremists. Findings indicate that women's participation has expanded from supportive domestic roles to operational involvement as recruiters, propagandists, financiers, and suicide bombers. Their radicalization is often facilitated by family and marital networks, religious study groups (pengajian), and online propaganda, reflecting both traditional pathways and modern digital acceleration. The study argues that women's involvement in terrorism represents a paradoxical form of empowerment, breaking gender norms while simultaneously reinforcing ideological subjugation. This phenomenon highlights the shifting gender dynamics within extremist movements and emphasizes the importance of gender-sensitive approaches in Indonesia's counter-radicalization and rehabilitation strategies.
Downloads
References
Achsin, M. Z. (2019). Culture and role of woman in terrorism in Indonesia. Case studies: Suicide bombings in Surabaya and Sibolga. International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology, 8(5), 873–876.
Anindya, C. R. (2017, January 12). Terrorism no longer a man’s world in Indonesia. East Asia Forum. https://eastasiaforum.org/2017/01/12/terrorism-no-longer-a-mans-world-in-indonesia/#:~:text=With%20the%20goal%20of%20establishing,frontlines%20for%20IS%20in%20Libya
Korstanje, M. E. (2018). The Challenges of democracy in the War on terror: the liberal state before the advance of terrorism. Routledge.
Macfarlane, K. (2024). Indonesian women and terrorism: An analysis of historical and contemporary trends. Politics and Governance, 12.
Mahmood, S. (2019). Negating Stereotypes: Women, gender, and terrorism in Indonesia and Pakistan. Perspectives on the Future of Women, Gender & Violent Extremism. Washington, DC: The George Washington University, 11–20.
Marzio, A. (2020). Keterlibatan Perempuan dalam Terorisme (Studi Kasus Dian Yulia Novi). University of Indonesia.
Moghaddam, F. M. (2005). The staircase to terrorism: A psychological exploration. American Psychologist, 60(2), 161.
Morse, J. C. (2019). Blacklists, market enforcement, and the global regime to combat terrorist financing. International Organization, 73(3), 511–545.
Nasution, A. R. (2018). Terrorism a Socio-Legal Study of Terrorism Acts in the Perspective of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. Talenta Conference Series: Local Wisdom, Social, and Arts (LWSA), 1(2), 321–328. https://doi.org/10.32734/lwsa.v1i2.203
Rauf, A., Siddique, H. M. A., Saleem, Q., & Sidra, S. (2020). Terrorism and international tourism nexus: evidence from Pakistan. International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, 10(5), 387–393.
Research Center for Security and Violent Extremism. (2025). World Terrorism Index 2024.
Riyanta, S. (2022). Shortcut to Terrorism: Self-Radicalization and Lone-wolf Terror acts: a case study of indonesia. Journal of Terrorism Studies, 4(1), 2.
Ruiz Estrada, M. A., Park, D., Tahir, M., & Khan, A. (2018). How does terrorism affect the international trade of Muslims countries? Quality & Quantity, 52, 2255–2268.
Santoso, S. P., & Ginting, R. T. (2022). The Role of Women in the Modern Terrorism Movement in Indonesia: Paradox of Cultural Feminism Ideology. 8th ICIIS, 589.
Sanur, D. (2018). Terorisme: Pola aksi dan antisipasinya. Kajian Singkat Terhadap Isu Aktual Dan Strategis, 10(10), 25–30.
Sari, I. P. (2025). Keterlibatan Perampuan dalam Aksi Terorisme di Indonesia: Analisis Melalui Perspektif Teori Pilihan Rasional. JISIP UNJA (Jurnal Ilmu Sosial Ilmu Politik Universitas Jambi), 1–14.
Schulze, K. E. (2018). The Surabaya Bombings and the Evolution of the Jihadi Treat in Indonesia. Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, 11(6). www.ctc.usma.edu/sentinel/
Simeon, J. C. (2019). The evolving Common Law jurisprudence combatting the threat of terrorism in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada. Laws, 8(1), 5.
Sukabdi, Z. A. (2021). Risk assessment of women involved in terrorism: Indonesian cases. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 4(09), 2495–2511.
Toyibah, D. (2021). Partner in Jihad: Marriage, Women and Deradicalised Terrorists in Indonesia. Wawasan: Jurnal Ilmiah Agama Dan Sosial Budaya, 6(2), 141–156.
Ulfa, M., & Sugara, R. (2022). Tindakan Sosial Keterlibatan Perempuan dalam Jaringan dan Aksi Terorisme di Indonesia. Sang Pencerah: Jurnal Ilmiah Universitas Muhammadiyah Buton, 8(1), 278–294.
Veronika, N. W. (2024). Women, intelligence and countering terrorism (CT) in Indonesia: Where are the women? Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, 19(3), 337–356. https://doi.org/10.1080/18335330.2024.2319121
Wijaya, T. I. (2020). Peran manipulasi informasi terhadap keikutsertaan perempuan dalam gerakan terorisme. Journal of Terrorism Studies, 2(1), 6.
Yumitro, G., Febriani, R., Roziqin, A., & Oktaviani, S. (2023). New model of terrorism threat in Indonesia: East Java case study. Journal of Liberty and International Affairs, 9(3), 234–247.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Security Intelligence Terrorism Journal (SITJ)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.






