Indonesia watching overseas workers for Daesh influence

By Ainur Rohmah

TUBAN, Indonesia (AA) - Indonesia is to keep a close eye on its nationals working overseas after eight migrant workers were repatriated on suspicion of sympathies with Daesh.

South Korean authorities rounded up the men -- from West and Central Java -- over the last month and deported them after reportedly becoming alarmed about their activities on social media.

Nusron Wahid, the Head of the National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers, was quoted by detik.com as saying Tuesday that President Joko Widodo had raised the seriousness of the issue and asked for steps to be taken so it does not happen again.

"The president has advised that we have to improve their Islamic understanding, and encourage deradicalization among migrant workers," he added.

Last month, the country's National Counter Terrorism Agency launched an investigation into how many Indonesian migrant workers become Daesh sympathizers when working overseas.

Indonesian news site kompas.com has quoted Wahid as saying that migrant workers in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong in particular had become a target.

Wahid said Tuesday that Indonesia would take several steps to clamp down on the problem, in particular providing a good understanding of religion to workers before they travel overseas, with a particular focus on Islam.

In countries of destination, Indonesia will continue deradicalization programs through workshops to make workers more aware of such issues through collaboration with its National Counterterrorism Agency Special Detachment 88.