Dozens of State-Run Mosques in Jakarta Promote Radicalism, Study Says

Forty percent of mosques and worship spaces at state-owned enterprises and government institutions in Jakarta are promoting radical sermons, according to a new study by an Indonesian organization representing Islamic boarding schools.

Twenty-one mosques at state-run companies and 12 at buildings owned by government ministries, among others, had engaged in discussing radical ideas, such as the creation of a caliphate, Agus Muhammad, head of the supervisory board at the Association of Islamic Boarding Schools and Society Development (P3M), told reporters.

“It can be considered a red alert as far as mosques at the state-owned companies are concerned,” he said.

“We hope that the DMI looks deeper into these findings and takes necessary action,” he added, referring to the powerful Indonesian Mosque Council.

The study, conducted by P3M and the nongovernmental organization Rumah Kebangsaan, analyzed 274 videos and hundreds of audio recordings taken by volunteers at 100 mosques from Sept. 29 to Oct. 21 last year, Agus said during a news conference in Jakarta on Sunday.

“We defined radicalism as ideas that called for fundamental changes,” Agus said.

The researchers also studied Friday bulletins and leaflets at the mosques, he said.