REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MATARAM -- Deputy Speaker of the West Nusa Tenggara Legislative Assembly Mori Hanafi said law enforcement agencies should rely more on persuasion in dealing with radicalism in Bima.

Mori's statement came after the police's anti terrorist squad Densus 88 arrested two men suspected of being terrorist members in the district of Bima last Saturday.

"More persuasive approaches are needed from government institutions including law enforcement agencies in dealing with radicalism among our people.

"Deradicalization would be successful only if all of us give understanding to ones who tend to be radical in their way of viewing something," he said here on Monday.

He said many of the suspects might have been trapped in association with radicals without intention of becoming ones or they might have been cheated into joining the group of radicals.

"The impact is negative on Bima, which is aggressively seeking to promote its tourism wealth . Therefore, we strongly hope that law enforcement agencies would give greater emphasis on persuasion in Bima and in West Nusa Tenggara in general," he said.

The image of being a hotbed for terrorists would be a big blow to efforts to modernize the region through development of its tourism industry, he added.

Those found in association with radicals without being aware of the goal and consequence should not be treated as terrorists, he said.

"Accusing and treating ones of being terrorists when they are not might turn them into ones. That is tantamount to us planting the seeds of terrorism. Our program of deradicalization would be more difficult," he said.

Improvement of the economy in the region would also be important to prevent radicalism from growing, he said, adding poverty is an easy target of radicalism.

"Those involved in radicalism are mainly jobless people. Therefore, providing them jobs is an effective remedy. Poverty is a fertile breeding place for radicals," he said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian military chief General Gatot Nurmantyo earlier said terrorist cells linked to ISIS had been detected in 16 areas including Bima, Central Java and East Java.

The cells could pose a serious threat to the nation and therefore, immediate steps needs to be taken to uproot before they grow to become more dangerous, the general said.

Last week, Densus 88 nabbed two terrorist suspects with locally assembled bomb and other weapons.

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