The Jakarta Post, August 09, 2006
We're ready to help, suicide bombers declare
Ati Nurbaiti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
I should be so proud. As governments, including that of Indonesia, discuss
preparations for sending troops to Lebanon, a civilian group said it was impatient to
depart.
They displayed their muscularity and martial arts skills on television and viewers did
not doubt the claims of many of the men that they have additional talents: Assembling
bombs and fighting troops based on the experience of some of their "Afghanistan
alumni" -- meaning having once joined the mujahidin rebels in Afghanistan.
The viewers at home, and maybe the journalists Saturday afternoon, did not
second-guess their claims, for the men were fitted out in black, up to their hoods,
which concealed their identity.
So assuming they have a sponsor already, these men will immediately leave their
base, Pontianak in West Kalimantan, to support the Lebanese resistance against
Zionist attacks.
But I wasn't all that proud. At least not yet. It would have been really helpful if the
report had gone into specifics: Whether the men were interrogated by police before
passing through immigration (with their hoods on?); if not, why were they not
interrogated and if yes, the results of police questioning.
For if they are so clever at assembling bombs and gained military skills in
Afghanistan, we would also like to know, before they contribute their skills elsewhere,
whether any of these dedicated folks had anything to do with terrorism -- or violent
acts of jihad -- at home.
No one shown in the footage was raising such questions during the martial arts
demonstration of the Islamic Youth Movement (GPI) on Saturday.
The GPI said it had 217 members who were ready to be suicide bombers, including
not only 72 Indonesians but also nationals of a number of Southeast Asian countries,
Koran Tempo reported. While one report said they were ready to depart for Lebanon,
the daily also revealed the GPI was ready "to attack the interests of Britain, the
United States and Australia", presumed to be linked to that of Israeli interests, though
it did not say where.
On the same afternoon, the news included commemorations of the third anniversary of
the terror attack on South Jakarta's JW Marriott Hotel. A tearful widow wearing a veil
repeated unanswered questions, over how people could be so violent and how violence
could be carried out against innocents in the name of jihad.
Our volunteers, and likely a number of people on similar missions in the near future,
may well have noble intentions. But, so far, many of the suicide bombers we are
aware of have targeted noncombatant civilians, young and old -- just like the victims of
the Israeli troops we call terrorists.
Should we be proud that our volunteers, presuming they must be taken seriously, will
attempt to kill Israeli youngsters and all civilians related, no matter how vaguely, to
Israeli interests?
And it doesn't make you feel all that safe, let alone proud, when fellow citizens in
masks are roaming around freely, generously offering their services as suicide
bombers, bomb-making skills and assistance in fighting troops in the name of Muslim
solidarity; even though many here are resentful of Israel.
As usual our leaders are cautious of treading on raw nerves when it comes to
anything to do with global Muslim solidarity -- though rallies around the world against
Israel and its allies are involving people of various faiths.
In response to reports that militants are preparing to help the Lebanese, the President
and the Vice President stress they fully understand the people's anger and empathy
with their embattled brothers and sisters, but that sending off any "help" should be
"realistic" and limited to humanitarian aid.
None of the leaders are ruling out or condemning offers of suicide bombers. Is it
because they're waiting to see if the offer of such services is only for locations outside
the country? Is suicide bombing a crime in the country but a gift of sacrifice to be
proud of when exported?
We love to curse the Americans and others for their double standards. Now is a good
time to check our own, before brimming with pride and cheering on our boys in black.
The author is a staff writer of The Jakarta Post.
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