HTML pages designed & maintained by Alifuru67 Copyright © 1999/2001 - 1364283024 & 1367286044		Ambon Island   Ambon City        Latupatti   Want to Help? REUTERS, Monday October 15, 2001 4:03 AM Survey finds many Indonesians approve of bin Laden JAKARTA (Reuters) - Many Indonesians regard Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden as a fighter for justice and support efforts by the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan to shelter him, according to a survey published on Sunday. In results likely to surprise some, 50 percent of 2,400 respondents to the online survey last week by a leading newspaper, Media Indonesia, said bin Laden was a "justice fighter". Less than 35 percent thought he was a terrorist. Washington has accused bin Laden of masterminding devastating hijack attacks on the United States last month that killed around 5,500 people and one week ago began air raids on Islamic Afghanistan, infuriating many in the Muslim world. Anti-American feeling has spilled onto the streets in the world's largest Muslim nation, but has been confined to small, radical groups, whose actions and threats against foreigners have been criticised by the majority moderate Muslim populace. But the survey clearly underscores the suspicion of U.S. policy among many Indonesians. Of those surveyed, nearly half were university graduates. The report said 56 percent believed the Taliban was "wise" in sheltering bin Laden after the attacks on the United States while nearly half felt the militant and his protectors needed military assistance from fellow Muslim countries. Indonesia's President Megawati Sukarnoputri seemingly bowed to local Muslim pressure on Sunday and, although not openly condemning the United States by name, said no country had the right to attack another country or seek to cleanse blood with blood. Many analysts had previously criticised her for saying little about the government's position. On Saturday Vice President and leading Muslim politician Hamzah Haz called more directly for an end to the strikes and said Washington had not proved bin Laden was involved in the September attacks, highlighting the pressure bearing down on Megawati. The government has yet to comment on attacks on foreigners on the resort island of Lombok. Two German tourists were kicked and punched there recently after being mistaken for Americans while other foreigners have also been harassed. Those incidents were the first assaults on foreigners in Indonesia since Washington said it would hunt down bin Laden. Jakarta was free of protests on Sunday after a quiet Saturday, although one radical Muslim group said its members might demonstrate outside the heavily fortified U.S. embassy later in the day. Copyright © 2001 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Copyright © 1999-2001  - Ambon Berdarah On-Line * http://www.go.to/ambon HTML pages designed and maintained by Alifuru67 * http://www.oocities.org/baguala67 Send your comments to alifuru67@egroups.com