ABC AUSTRALIA, 28/02/2003 10:47:40
INDONESIA: Radical Muslim group revives paramilitary wing
28/02/2003 10:47:40 | Asia Pacific Programs
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In Indonesia, a radical Muslim group has announced its reviving its paramilitary wing.
The Laskhar FPI of the Islamic Defenders Front is known for its raids on nightclubs
and alcohol vendors as part of a crackdown on what it describes as dens of sin and
immorality. The group disbanded last November but has now re-opened for registration
for both old and new members.
Transcript:
SABAPATHY: Formed in 1998 the Islamic Defenders Front or FPI has developed a
reputation for attacking bars, nightclubs and gambling venues. Entertainment venues
deemed un-Islamic have often been targetted and its most prominent raid was that on
Jakarta's Chinatown last May.
But following the Bali bombing of last October the FPI along with the more militant
Laskar Jihad disbanded in the face of growing public criticism.
So why has the group chosen to regroup and rearm its paramilitary wing now? This is
Habib Rizieq Syihab the leader of the FPI.
SYIHAB: "The armed wing of FPI was made non-active or frozen some time ago for
the purpose of evaluation and reorganisation. Now that we see that this process of
evaluation and reorganisation during the past four months has run fairly well we start
to do it at the grassroots level. That's why since Sunday we have reopened for
registration and screening of new recruits."
SABAPATHY: Unlike other militant groups like the Lashkar Jihad and the Jemma
Islamiah the FPI has never called for an Islamic state ... but rather has called for a
strict adherence to the Sharia laws.
While this may be the case, Sidney Jones the Indonesian project director of the
International Crisis Group sees its activites as those of an urban criminal gang with an
Islamic veneer.
JONES: "They have had a history of attacking nightclubs and discoteques but using
sticks to basically smash things up, they don't usually attack people, they attack
buildings and property and often make off with the proceeds of the cash register. But
it's much more an urban criminal gang in some ways with an Islamic veneer."
ABDALLA: I must say that this is a criminal group, they're concerned about
prostitution, about the gambling, about the nightclubs, about the drugs, but the
problem is that they deal with it badly."
SABAPATHY: Ulil Abshar Abdalla is the coordinator of the Liberal Islamic Network.
He says it's the failure of the government to address these social issues that led to
the rise of the FPI.
ABDALLA: "Just due to the inability of the government to deal with this kind of
problem, so it is a reaction of the people while are impatient in looking at the problem
unsolved there."
JONES: "What they tried to do is to eradicate vice in the name of Islam but there are
a lot of allegations that they don't go after some places that are well known to be
frequented by police for example."
SABAPATHY: Following the events of September 11 ... the world has focused on the
activities of militant Islamic groups. The Bali bombing last October brought their
destructive activities closer home ... and now with war looming in Iraq ... should we be
concerned with the regrouping and rearming of the FPI? Mr Abdalla believes not.
ABDALLA: "I doubt that they can rearm themselves here, again because there is no
support whatsoever from the people now."
SABAPATHY: But what about external support?
ABDALLA: "You see FPI is not linked to any international supporter because FPI is
different from Laskar Jihad and MMI. MMI and Laskar Jihad is pretty linked to the
outside group, but FPI is merely an indigenous group."
SABAPATHY: Sidney Jones agrees that the FPI is not a terrorist organisation ... but
she sees the group becoming a nuisance factor as Indonesia goes into elections next
year. She believes the FPI could leave itself open to manipulation by other parties for
very local political ends.
JONES: "I don't think that necessarily there's a linkage between this remobilisation
and the war in Iraq. But this is a group that will be active in demonstrations in Jakarta
and other cities if there is a war in Iraq."
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28/02/2003 10:47:40 | ABC Radio Australia News
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