Airline pilots from Indonesia 'radicalised by Islamic State'
Leaked report from Australian police reveals two commercial pilots who flew international routes were pro-IS

Two Indonesian pilots are believed to have been radicalised by Islamic State and pose a global security risk, according to a leaked report from the Australian Federal Police.
The documents, obtained by the investigative journalism site The Intercept, revealed that professional pilots Tommy Hendratno and Ridwan Agustin had been sharing pro-IS content on their social media account and as a result were under police surveillance.
Agustin had previously worked as pilot for Air Asia, flying both international and domestic routes. In September last year, he began interacting online with Indonesian militants fighting in Syria and Iraq and expressed a desire to join the fight in Kobane. In March, he posted his current location as Raqqa, Syria – Islamic State's de facto capital.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Hendratno, meanwhile, was employed by VIP airline Premiair until last month. The report revealed that he was living near Jakarta and had previously been a pilot for the Indonesia Navy. His social media profile says he underwent further flight training in the United States in February. While he was there, he shared numerous videos of gruesome IS beheadings on Facebook.
The police report concluded that radicalised pilots were an obvious threat to international security. "Their access and knowledge of security and safety regimes provides the ability to attempt attacks as witnessed by past global events," it warned.
The Australian intelligence was shared with security services in Turkey, Jordan, Britain, the US and Europol, but the Indonesian government says the report was never given to them. Local authorities are now attempting to trace the two men.
Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim country, is struggling to stop radicalised nationals travelling to join militants in the Middle East. More than 500 Indonesians fighters are estimated to have joined IS, with numbers soaring in recent months.
In response to the leak, AFP said it would not comment on intelligence matters. "The AFP maintains strong relationships with its domestic and foreign law enforcement partners to ensure the ongoing safety of Australians both within Australia and abroad," it said.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The resurgence of the Taliban in Pakistan
Under the Radar Islamabad blames Kabul for sheltering jihadi fighters terrorising Pakistan's borderlands
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff Published
-
Indonesia eyes the world stage
Under The Radar Joining Brics could give the Southeast Asian nation new leverage on the world stage
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Islamic State: the terror group's second act
Talking Point Isis has carried out almost 700 attacks in Syria over the past year, according to one estimate
By The Week UK Published
-
Germany arrests anti-Islam Saudi in SUV attack
Speed Read The attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg left five people dead and more than 200 wounded
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published