NCJ Number
220158
Journal
Studies in Conflict and Terrorism Volume: 30 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2007 Pages: 777-800
Date Published
September 2007
Length
24 pages
Annotation
In order to dismiss ambiguities and better understand Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), this article focuses on JI’s founding charter, the Pedoman Umum Perjuangan Al-Jama’ah Al-Islamiyah (PUPJI), a general guide in understanding Southeast Asia’s most deadly terror network.
Abstract
The General Guide for the Struggle of Al-Jama’ah Al-Islamiyah (Pedoman Umum Perjuangan Al-Jama’ah Al-Islamiyah), commonly known under its acronym PUPJI, is an essential document for understanding Southeast Asia’s most deadly terror network. Issued by Jenaah Islamiyah’s Central Executive Council (Qiyadah Markaziyah), it outlines the group’ administrative structure and guiding religious principles, in addition to providing insights into its organizational development, membership recruitment, and operational strategy. From the time Jemaah Islamiyah was established in 1993, as a result of an internal split within the Darul Islam (DI) movement, until the time it first engaged in terrorist activities with the Medan church bombings in May 2000, the group was structured and managed in accordance with this handbook or guide. This article attempts to take a closer look at Jemaah Islamiyah’s most authoritative text. Its driving motivation has been to illustrate the multiple ways in which the handbook has brought to life and given flesh to the group. A key misconception that it hopes to dismiss is that Jemaah Islamiyah does not exhibit enough organizational functions or operational manifestations to be designated as a tangible organization. In contrast, the article argues that PUPJI-stipulated norms and procedures have been prominent at every stage of the group’s existence. 116 notes