HYPERREALITY AND TERRORISM: PROPAGANDA IMPLICATIONS FOR PERPETRATORS AND SOCIETY IN INDONESIA

Aims: To analyze the role of hyperreality in terrorism propaganda and how it influences both perpetrators and public perception in Indonesia, with particular focus on the glorification and simulation of the 9P terrorism actions (Propaganda, Logistics Provision, Terrorism Funding, Terrorist Recruitment, Terrorist Training, Terrorism Action Planning, Paramilitary Formation, Terrorist Hideouts, and Acts of Terror). Study Design: Qualitative exploratory study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Criminology, University of Indonesia, conducted between 2022 and 2024. Methodology: Data were collected through semistructured and in-depth interviews with convicted terrorists (napiter), focus group discussions (FGDs) with community members, and literature review of terrorism and media studies. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns regarding public responses, radicalization narratives, and the influence of hyperreality in shaping public perception and terrorist ideology. Results: The study found that hyperreality—constructed through glorified and repetitive digital propaganda— significantly distorts perceptions of reality among both terrorists and the public. Former terrorists reported emotional and ideological attachment fostered through media content, reinforcing past beliefs and obstructing deradicalization. Meanwhile, society responds to terrorism threats with fear and moral panic, driven by media amplification. The 9P framework demonstrates how each element is dramatized through propaganda to exaggerate the impact of terrorist activity, contributing to radicalization and cult-radicalism. Conclusion: Hyperreality in terrorism propaganda plays a central role in shaping distorted perceptions that legitimize violence and obstruct deradicalization. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing effective counter-radicalization strategies and media literacy policies to reduce the psychological and social impact of terrorism propaganda.