Online Radicalizationan and Challenges to National Security: A Political Islam Perspective

Do you know what radicalism is? Radicalism is an attitude or approach that reflects a deep belief in a fundamental change in the social, economic and political structure of a society. So, what is online radicalism? Online radicalism means the spread, propagation, and cultivation of political ideologies through online platforms.  In Indonesia today, online radicalism is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. The current situation of online radicalism in Indonesia can be seen, such as online media being used by radical groups to spread their ideologies, such as radicalism towards religion, politics, or certain ideologies. Alternatively, radical groups use the internet to recruit new members, utilizing the anonymity of an application to achieve their goals. The online radical activities that we see are only simple, but they can be a big threat if they are allowed to grow.The information carried out by the perpetrators of radicalism is carried out online, so it easily spreads widely and results in misunderstandings in every group of society. The threat of radicalism is also very threatening to national security, such as attacks or acts of violence. There are many actions that have been carried out by perpetrators of radicalism in Indonesia, such as the terrorism network that is widespread in Indonesia. The group is called Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), this group is one of the terrorism network groups in Indonesia, one of the radical actions they have carried out is the Bali Bombing attack in 2022. Then, in Indonesia there is also the separtism movement that has occurred in several regions in Indonesia such as Papua and Aceh. They use this radical opportunity to achieve personal goals and group goals such as political autonomy and independence from Indonesian territory.

 Then what is the role of Islamic politics to overcome this issue? Islamic politics can be done to overcome this issue. Especially since Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country, it has a great influence on the environment in society. Islamic political parties in Indonesia can also take a stand by stating public statements, party policies, and political agendas aimed at opposing radicalism. They can also cooperate with the government to bring together religions and communities to avoid radicalism. Now, the important thing to remember is to realize that