The Jakarta Post, January 26, 2006
JI orders theft for funding: Ex-member
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Despite the arrests of many of its members, Jamaah Islamiyah is still operating in
Indonesia with its followers ordered to carry out armed robberies to raise funds, a
former member said Wednesday.
Nasir Abbas, who once led a "territorial command" cell of the terror group blamed for a
series of bomb attacks in Indonesia, said JI's doctrine allowed its followers to rob
"infidels" in the name of God.
His statement lent credibility to the recent confession of terror suspect Abu Sayaf.
Arrested in Central Java for his alleged link with key JI mastermind, Noordin M. Top,
Abu Sayaf admitted to have been involved in armed robberies to collect funds for
terrorism.
Speaking at a meeting in the State Islamic University, Nasir said militant Muslims
saw themselves as living in a state of war, in which killing and stealing were allowed.
"They view the money they get from stealing as the spoils of war," he added.
JI members had an extreme view of jihad, believing God allowed them to kill His
"enemies", Nasir told a discussion on terrorism.
He said fighting such militant ideas was "a long, winding road" for Muslims.
The government and Islamic organizations should join forces in the fight against terror
by educating the people about how to live in peace and respect the beliefs of others,
Nasir said.
Zuhairi Misrawi, a young Muslim scholar from Nahdlatul Ulama, said the effort should
involve cultural and structural strategies to be effective.
Culturally, he said, the extreme definition of jihad would have to be deconstructed.
"Muslims must grasp the proper meaning of jihad," he told the group.
Zuhairi said Islamic boarding schools or pesantren should take a greater role in
implementing this cultural strategy.
To attack the terror groups' structure", the government must capture key JI leader
Noordin M. Top.
Fransiscus Budi Hardiman from the Driyarkara School of Philosophy viewed terrorism
as a result of inequalities in the global order, with almost absolute power lying in the
hands of the United States.
"There is a historical pattern, which swings like a pendulum from a hypertropic
situation, in which a swelling of power occurs. From that situation the pendulum will
swing to a relative situation in which chaos occurs," he said.
According to Fransiscus, terrorism was a symptom of a quest by marginalized people
for a new equilibrium. "They seek to overthrow the hegemonic power and replace it,"
he said.
Fransiscus said violent actions taken by Muslim militants were also a part of a
continuing "de-colonization". "The world is still in a state of global imperialism, in
which countries in the southern part of the world are marginalized," he said.
"As long as there is still inequality in the global order, terrorism will exist."
To end the spiral of violence, mutual trust and understanding needed to become part
of the world order. Acts to destroy, hurt or marginalize groups should be outlawed, he
said.
"This goes for both Muslim militants and also the U.S."
Nasir said the conflicts in Middle East were fueling terrorist movements worldwide.
Provocative speeches by militant leaders such as Osama Bin Laden, who justified
violence against U.S citizens and Jewish people, had further encouraged terror acts.
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