The Age [Australia], February 27 2003
Indonesian militia set to re-form
Jakarta
An Indonesian Muslim militia known for attacking nightclubs and threatening
foreigners will re-form next month after disbanding following the Bali bombings.
The Islamic Defenders Front had started accepting recruits and was giving them
"morality training", said Siroj Alwi, the head of the group's "anti-vice" unit.
The announcement comes amid fears that radical Islamic groups in Indonesia could
organise violent protests or target foreigners if the US attacked Iraq.
The front's dissolution four months ago came soon after the reported disbanding of
Laskar Jihad, a much larger paramilitary organisation blamed for the deaths of
thousands of Christians in the Maluku Islands.
Both groups have been linked to elements of the security forces. Analysts speculated
that senior officers anxious to distance themselves from radical Islam after the Bali
attacks ordered the disbandment. AP
Copyright © 2002 The Age Company Ltd
|
