Indonesia’s current terrorist problems have a long and complex history, and this work, based on a remarkable array of sources, many of which have never been publicly cited, is a rigorous account that fills in many gaps in our knowledge of jihadist groups, how they interacted with the state and events abroad, and why they at times resorted to extreme violence. Dave McRae’s translation offers a complete account of the development of jihadism from the earliest years of Indonesian independence to the terrorist bombings of the past decade, for an English audience.
