Indonesia and South East Asia are currently experiencing the highest levels of terror threats in some decades. This is largely to do with a rise in extremism, particularly with regards to ISIS and Syria. Recent attacks in Jakarta have demonstrated that the threat is very real.

On 18 April, Dr Sidney Jones spoke at an AIIA ACT event: “Indonesian Extremism: the Latest Twists and Turns”. After the event, she spoke with AIIA ACT Vice-President Chris Farnham about terrorism in Indonesia, discussing the sources of the problem as well as further counter-terrorism strategies that need to be put in place.

Dr Sidney Jones is the founder and director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, based in Jakarta. From 2002 to 2013, Jones worked with the International Crisis Group, first as Southeast Asia project director then from 2007 as senior adviser to the Asia program. She has written extensively on conflict in Southeast Asia, human rights in the Asia region, and violent extremism, with a particular focus on Indonesia.

Producer and editor: Leyang Wang

Interviewer: Chris Farnham