Banser, the security branch of Nahdlatul Ulama, the country’s largest Muslim organization, has established a special unit, Densus 99 Asmaul Husna, to monitor the activities of the Islamic State in Indonesia. The head of Banser said extremist activity had been detected in Lamongan, Banyuwangi, Malang, and Kediri in East Java. President Widodo has asked Nahdlatul Ulama and another large Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, to help counter extremism and terrorism, but has advocated a “cultural approach” rather than security measures. Even so, Widodo has asked the Security Ministry to address the increasing Islamic State presence in the mountainous Poso district of Central Sulawesi.
