By: Edi Jatmiko) *
The Covid-19 pandemic did not prevent radicals from continuing to spread its influence. They take advantage of technological sophistication and hold online classes, so that cadres can study distance. This is very dangerous because online activity can be difficult to track. Guerrilla action in cyberspace must be wary of us, so that radicals are not increasingly rampant.
Lately we often hold meetings through the Zoom application or Google Meet, to respect the rules of physical distancing. This application is very practical because many people can communicate online. The important thing is there is a laptop or computer or handphone and internet network. So it is also used to hold seminars or distance classes.
Unfortunately the facilities provided by these applications are also used by radicals. They can hold online meetings or cadre online. The radical members who are located abroad can also hold meetings with other members in remote parts of Indonesia. So they can get ideas how else to create a horrendous terror.
Besides being more practical because it saves money on transport, this online class is safer from raids by the police. Because it is held in cyberspace that is not seen clearly. This is a warning, because a technology turns out to be like 2 sides of a coin. It can be useful for learning but it can also be used by radicals to spread evil.
If you already like this, how to deal with it? The authorities can work together with the two applications (Zoom and Google Meet) to be able to report if there is something odd. They certainly will be invited to provide data, because this is in the interest of the country. In addition, it can also use the services of hackers to be able to know, which online classes are held by radicals. So an arrest could be held right away.
We also need to be vigilant and not carelessly take online classes. Especially if you are lured in with free tickets and get bonuses in the form of e-books and videos. First check who is in the class or seminar. Where’s the background from? Where did you go to college? Is he really competent?
Not suspicious, but we must be vigilant because it could be that the online seminar was a cover for radicals to spread their influence. Especially if the invitation is not official via email, but through the WA group. So it is rather difficult to trace who is actually the inviter. It could be that they are just random, aka spreading invitations to many WA numbers, in order to increase the number of interested class participants.
At an online meeting, how do you know the mode of operation of radicals? Usually at the beginning of the seminar it is shown how to make peace and draw closer to Him. But in the middle, videos and hoax news were shown about government policies that they disagreed with. There is also a narrative that the president is an unwise person.
That makes us feel weird, is this an online seminar or a brainwashing event from terrorists? Turn off the laptop, computer or smartphone immediately. If you continue to watch you can be influenced and easily recruited by radicals to become cadres. Online classes are a place to influence many people, especially teenagers, because they are still innocent and easier to persuade.
Radicals take advantage of applications in gadgets to hold meetings online and we must beware of them. The application owner is also required to work together in order to be willing to provide data, if it turns out there are terrorist members who hold online meetings. We also have to be vigilant and not carelessly attend online classes, because it could be that the organizers are radicals.
) * Active writer in the Press Circle and Cikini Students
