Indonesian citizens who reportedly joined the so-called terrorist group of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Turkey cannot be forced to return home, according to Law and Security Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdjiatno.
“There is no information about their deportation, and the deportation cannot be done by force,” stated the security minister after attending the International Conferences on Terrorism and ISIS in JIE Expo Kemayoran on Monday, as quoted by Antara News.
He explained that the deportation of Indonesian citizens in Turkey will most likely be carried out, but the process cannot be forced on them.
“They are also not willing to return to Indonesia. If they are forced to return, then to whom will they complain later,” Tedjo uttered.
The government of Indonesia had earlier discussed the fate of 16 Indonesian citizens who reportedly went to Turkey to join ISIS.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla noted that the Turkish authorities could prevent unwanted infiltrations into Syria, but it was a difficult task due to the large number of tourists in the country.
Kalla noted that the 16 Indonesians who went to Turkey did not necessarily want to join ISIS in Syria.
The vice president also affirmed that the governments of Indonesia and Turkey are cooperating to address radicalism, particularly related to the phenomenon of several people who joined ISIS.
