A Brief Analysis of Suicide Bombings That Have Involved Children

Husnul Isa Harahap

Department of Political Science, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Jl. Dr. A. Sofyan No.1 Medan 20155, Indonesia

Keywords: Terrorism, Suicide Bombers, Children, Family Bomb.

Abstract: The issue of terrorism is spreading again. This time it happened in Surabaya City. Precisely on Sunday at

07.30 am in the morning (13/05/2018). These suicide bombers have exploded in three different churches.

First, first bomb attack was at the Santa Maria Tak BercelaChurch, the second attack was at the Central

Pentecostal Church and the third attack was at the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI). These attacks had

caused casualties. The perpetrators consist of one family. Which the results of investigation said there were

six perpetrators. But this time, the public concern is that suicide bombings have involved children. Both

boys and girls. How is the chronology of suicide bombing action? What is the general information about the

daily lives of children who have been involved in this terrorist attack? What is the initial analysis of suicide

bombings that have involved children? This study describes several findings. Firstly, the chronology of

suicide bombing action is very well planned. Secondly, general information about the daily activities of

children involved in acts of terror seems normal. Thirdly, the answer why should children be included be

involved in suicide bombing by their parents is still mystery. This study reinforces the concept of Paul Gill

(2007) about the importance of a multi-dimensional approach to analyzing suicide bombings.

1 INTRODUCTION

Incidents of suicide bombings have resumed in

Indonesia. This time it has happened at Surabaya,

East Java (13/5/2018). Based on the news, the

number of victims who have died reached 18 people.

Including the suicide bombers. The suicide bombers

exploded in three different places. First, suicide

bombing happened at the Santa

MariaTakBercelaChurch has caused seven deaths.

Secondly, at the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI),

which has caused death of three people. Three

people died and everything from the offenders,1

adult female and 2 daughters. Third, in the

Pentecostal Church and eight people died, including

one perpetrator. Head of Public Relations of East

Java Police Commissioner Frans Barung Mangera

explained "…the number of people who have died in

the terrorist attacks of churches has become eighteen

people including the victims in Bhayangkara

Hospital. This is the data I received when was

updated at 15:45…”] (A. Ika, 2018).

Analysis from the police, has called this suicide

bombing a "family bomb". This is because it

involves the family leader (father), the mother and

her children. All of them live in one house at Wisma

Indah Permai. The mass media has written the

names of family leaders with different titles, such as

Dita Oepriyanto, Dita Supriyanto, Dita Oprianto,

and Dita Opriarto.

This terrible event had caused serious concerns

about the involvement of children in acts of terror.

This case is the first suicide bombing by children,

especially successful actions. Similarly, for the case

of suicide bombing acts committed by girls. This is

also a new case. According to the statement “suicide

bombing looks like suicide, but in important aspects

it is incomparable with suicide” (Grimland, 2006).

Base on that background, there are three main aim of

this study. First, explore the brief chronology of

suicide bombing action. Second, describe the

general information about children's daily life.

Thirdly, explain initial analyzes of the phenomenon

in which children are involved in suicide bombing.

2 RESEARCH METHOD

This study was conducted using qualitative method.

Methods data for this research was collected through

online documents. The news collected from trusted

or official online mass media in May 2018. The

1376

Harahap, H.

A Brief Analysis of Suicide Bombings That Have Involved Children.

DOI: 10.5220/0010075213761379

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

1376-1379

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

information in online news has been filtered and

compared to get the most accurate and factual news.

Then the data was described qualitatively.

3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

THE CHRONOLOGY OF

SUICIDE BOMBING

On May 13, 2018, a shocking event took place.

Three bombs exploded in three churches with

different addresses at Surabaya, East Java. Head of

Public Relations Police Commissioner of East Java

Police Frans Barung explained "three explosions

took place respectively at the Pentecostal Church of

Athens Street, Indonesian Christian Church (GKI)

on Diponegoro Street, and Santa Maria Church,"

(Hafil, 2018). The explosion happened almost

simultaneously.

The first bomb was blown up in the Church of

the Santa MariaTakBercelain Ngagel

MadyaStreetNumber 1, Baratajaya Village, and

Gubeng District. The bomb exploded in the morning

at 06.30am - 7.00am. Two perpetrators is involved

and they used a motorcycle. They also carried a

backpack (R. Fadillah, 2018). The perpetrators have

been identified as two teenage boys, Yusuf Padil

(18) Years and Firman Halim (16 years) (S. Malau,

2018).

The second bomb exploded at Indonesian

Christian Church (GKI)in Diponegoro Street,

Surabaya. Bombs have exploded in the morning at

07.15 am (R. Fadillah, 2018). There were three

people involved in this suicide bombing. An adult

woman (Puji Kuswati) with two 12-year-old

daughters (Fadila Sari) and 9 years (PemelaRizkita)

(S. Malau, 2018). They showed mother-child

relationship. Deputy Chief of Surabaya Police

(Wakapolrestabes Surabaya), Adjunct Senior

Commissioner Benny Pramono explained that

"mother and her two children who attempted to enter

the worship service were driven by a security at the

entrance of Indonesian Christian Church (GKI)

inDiponegoro Street, Surabaya, before that

they(three perpetrators) blew themselves up in the

church yard,"](bbc.com, 2018). Anthony (security)

witnessed that they (mother and two children)

"…blew herself in front of the yard ... and I saw two

children and their mother came with two bags

…Suddenly the mother hugged the officer ...

Suddenly (bomb) it explodes"] (bbc.com, 2018).

The third bomb exploded at 7:53 am at Central

Pentecostal Church on Arjuno Street, Surabaya (R.

Fadillah, 2018). The explosion occurred in the

parking lot. The adult perpetrator named Dita

Oepriyanto. He usedavanza car (S. Malau, 2018).

Investigation confirmed that Dita's suicide bombing

has been linked to two previous explosions. The first

explosion was carried out by two of his boys. The

second blast has been done by his wife and involves

his two daughters. Dita is the father of the children /

husband of suicide bombers in different places in

Surabaya.

4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

THE ULTIMATE MYSTERY,

WHY INVOLVED CHILDREN?

(Gill, 2007) in his article entitle A Multi-

Dimensional Approach to Suicide Bombing explain

that “understanding suicide bombing entails

studying the phenomenon on three different

dimensions: the suicide bomber, the terrorist

organization, and the community from which suicide

bombings emerge” (Gill, 2007).The case of suicide

bombing in Surabaya is a case that has a special

characteristics. First, this is a family bombing case.

One family committed suicide bombings together at

different places. Second, families who involved in

suicide bombings are sufficiently economic, but

involved all of their children. Third, the children

look normal and socialized.

The general view that children who are exposed

to extremism will not want to socialize is a view that

is not entirely true. The view has been corrected in

this case. Furthermore, this phenomenon shows that

children who have nationalistic values are not

immune to the influence of radical ideology.

Schooling children have been involved in suicide

bombings at Surabaya. They lived with their parent

named Dita Oepriyanto at Wisma Indah Permai

Block K No. 22, Wonorejo, Rangkut

Surabaya.Dita'sfamily was proven had involved in a

suicide bombing, included one of the youngest

children who did not attend school.

The first child, Yusuf Padil, was very active in

the flag ceremony. Indeed, he also served as the

flag-raisers team in the flag ceremonies. He always

follows lesson on nationalism in school. Especially

on the subject of PancasilaEducation and

Citizenship. The school teacher named Suwardi

said"…he always participated in the flag ceremony,

furthermore during his 10th grade he joined

Paskibra, and including the lessons of Pancasila

Education and Citizenship (PPKN) he diligently

A Brief Analysis of Suicide Bombings That Have Involved Children

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entered the classroom"](Khairunnisa, 2018).The

second child, Firman Halim, almost has the same

habit as his brother, such being active in flag

ceremonial activities, and active in the organization.

He is the leader of the student organization.

Suwardisaid "…he's the head of student organization

(OSIS) in his junior high school, had been the leader

of the flag ceremony on education day (2nd May

2018) ..."](Khairunnisa, 2018).

Has this child been exposed to extremist

ideology in a short time? Is it during bomb blast

preparation? Currently, there is no accurate

information about this. The fact is Dita Oepriyanto

(the perpetrator) feels it is very necessary to involve

his children as bombers, and it worked. This

happened because his children not to refuse. This

indication can be seen from the status of his child

found on Facebook. His first child has written "So

much ... will not leave it" (Khairunnisa, 2018). The

existence of this message illustrates that these

children have experienced a phase of dilemma. But

eventually stuck in the bomb explosion scenario. In

addition, one thing that needs further analysis is the

fact that the bomb blast plan has been successful

because it was a family secret.

Parents involving their children in suicide

bombing have become a common pattern these

days? In fact, not all terrorists assume that children

need to be involved in acts of terror. For example

Umar Patek considers that the involvement of

children is unacceptable. This is why he never

commits acts of terror involving children. Umar

Patek said "If it is about that, from the beginning I

do not want (involve small children)"] (N.

Purnamasari, 2018). Umar Patek considers it to be

against his ideology. Here is Umar Patek's statement

"... unacceptable in Islamic teachings in any

“madzhab”(school), because it involves little

children and women (tribunnews.com, 2018).

Sidney Jones has also analysed that a family

bomb case is a stand-alone case. Mainly because it

involves children, because he thinks very rare cases

where extremists involve their children as suicide

bomber. He also added that acts of terror could be

perpetrated by people who never went to Syria.

Sidney Jones has said "extremists do not want to

sacrifice their children, it's a single incident, I hope it

will not happen again where the children themselves

are given the role of suicide bombers ... The more

dangerous are the local people who never been to

Syria but still have an illusion, that Daulah Islamiah

is the most important thing. They still have the spirit

... Well now, almost nobody [Indonesian citizens]

wants to immigrate to Syria. They will no longer go

abroad, just do their actions here [Indonesia]]"

(Mamduh, 2018).

This analysis is more interesting because there

are also cases where people do not want to be

terrorists because they love their children. Or release

the terrorist ideology, this is because their actions

will cause those losing their children future. The

case happened to Khairul Ghazali was the last case

Khairul Ghazali repented in jail for being aware that

his wife and children were displaced. In addition

they also experience negative stigma in society. Did

Dita Oepriyanto's decision involving his main family

in the case of "family bomb" been motivated by this

reason? This question is less relevant because Dita is

not poor. So his children will not be displaced.

Except, if he does not want his children treated

negatively in society as a child terrorist. However,

there is no definite answer to this latest analysis. In

essence, the single most consistent analysis is

ideological motivation, but involving children in

suicide bombings over ideological motivations still

requires further analysis.

5 CONCLUSION

The case of terrorism at Surabaya is a new case that

needs to be learned. Especially for the case of

suicide bombing in Indonesia. There are three things

that have been described in this study. Firstly, the

chronology of suicide bombing action is very well

planned. The perpetrator divides the three targets

and theirs roles. Then each blow up a predetermined

target. Secondly, general information about the daily

activities of children involved in acts of terror seems

normal. It does not show extremist views or

behavior. Thirdly, based on the initial analysis the

question why should children be included be

involved in suicide bombing by their parents is still

not answerable.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The publication of this paper was funded by the

Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) in accordance

with the Talenta Research Contract Universitas

Sumatera Utara (2018).

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

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REFERENCES

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Surabaya Jadi 18 Orang,” Kompas.com, 14-May-2018.

M. Grimland, A. Apter, and A. Kerkhof, “The

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M. Hafil, “Ledakan Bom Surabaya Terjadi di Tiga

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R. Fadillah, “Ini kronologi lengkap serangan bom bunuh

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2018.

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tribunnews.com, Mei-2018.

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