| Summary/Abstract |
The terrorist attack in Jakarta on January 14, 2016, that killed eight people is just the beginning—part of the Islamic State's (IS) strategy to create chaos and expand into Southeast Asia, complementing its goal of global expansion. Although the arrests in the lead-up to Christmas—including the arrest of Arif Hidayatullah (alias Abu Muzab) and his cell in December 2015—and the prompt response to the attack by the Jakarta Police Chief, General Dr. Tito Karnavian, prevented a “concert” the terrorists had vowed to conduct, the threat has not diminished.1 In fact, the global expansion of IS will be marked by its declaration of far-flung wilayāt (sometimes written as wilayat, wilāyah or wilayah), also known as governorates, presenting an emerging challenge for both national and regional governments. IS declared 34 wilayah in eleven countries after pledges of support from local groups and individuals who take their oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-appointed Caliph, or leader, of IS. Coalition resources are already overstretched and partners are overwhelmed. From Africa to the Middle East and the Caucasus to the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, IS is claiming authority and mobilizing support to defend the “caliphate” in its formative phase, expanding from the Middle East to a global theater of operations.
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