"We have planned to disconnect their entry. The patrols, especially in border areas, need to be strengthened in the air, sea, and land sectors," he stated in the Ministry of Defence offices in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The former Army Chief of Staff noted that the efforts to strengthen defence in the country will also be done by placing military personnel in Indonesias outermost regions, including ones bordering the Philippines.
"The same applies for the northern part of Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Halmahera, and Ambon. The army personnel need to be more active there," he remarked.
Ryacudu admitted that since a year and a half ago, his office has highlighted the emergence of armed militant groups, affiliated with ISIS, in the southern part of the Philippines.
He believed that the presence of these radical groups in the Philippines can potentially impose threats not only to Indonesia but also to a number of other countries in the Southeast Asia region.
"I have reminded all party to be cautious. This group will return to the Philippines after they fail in Europe. We have predicted that in the past, and now it has become real," he stated.
For that reason, he encouraged all parties to support the governments efforts to push ISIS back in order to prevent them from spreading in Indonesia.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
