Women in Terrorism: Evolution from Jemaah Islamiyah to Islamic State in Indonesia and Malaysia

The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group’s rise and traction in Southeast Asia has changed the threat landscape of countries in the region. In Indonesia and Malaysia, religiously-motivated terrorism that was dominated by Jemaah Islamiyah’s (JI) centralised and physical networks, has shifted towards IS-linked groups and decentralised cells operating physically and in the online domain. Despite espousing extremist religious ideologies, both terrorist groups adopted similar yet contrasting strategies towards the recruitment of women, their roles and participation within the organisation. This article discusses the transition of women’s roles from JI to IS, and highlights cyberspace as the key variable that has facilitated increased recruitment for women by IS.